Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

mastectomy, double
Removal of both breasts.
mastectomy, Halsted
A radical mastectomy. See
mastectomy, radical.
mastectomy, modified radical
Removal of the
breast tissue and the axillary lymph nodes, which
are under the arms.
mastectomy, partial
Surgical removal of only
enough breast tissue to be sure that the margins of
the tissue removed are free of cancer. Also known as
segmental mastectomy.
mastectomy, preventive
Removal of one or
both breasts without the current presence of cancer.
This surgery is sometimes chosen as a preventive
measure by women who have a strong family history
of breast cancer.
mastectomy, prophylactic
See 
mastectomy,
preventive.
mastectomy, radical
Removal of all breast tis-
sue, from just under the collarbone to the abdomen,
including the chest wall muscles and the axillary
lymph nodes in the armpit. In a trial begun in 1971,
the efficacy of radical mastectomy was compared
with that of total mastectomy. This historic trial
spelled the end of radical mastectomy and started
the trend toward less extensive surgery, which has
culminated in the lumpectomy, leading to a vast
improvement in the quality of life for women with
breast cancer. Also known as Halstead mastectomy.
mastectomy, segmental
A partial mastectomy.
See 
mastectomy, partial.
mastectomy, simple
Removal of one or both
breasts, but not the lymph nodes. Also known as a
total mastectomy.
mastectomy, subcutaneous
Removal of breast
tissue, using a minimal incision. This type of mas-
tectomy may be used to remove small areas of sus-
picious or cancerous tissue, but it can also be a
cosmetic surgery procedure. For example, subcuta-
neous mastectomy can reduce the volume of
enlarged male breasts or be part of a female-to-
male sex-change procedure.