The Breast Center

Patient Instructions

• Patient Instructions After Ultrasound Guided Aspiration
• Patient Instructions After Breast Biopsy (Stereotactic or Ultrasound)

Patient Instructions After Ultrasound Guided Aspiration

A radiologist is available to speak with you Monday – Friday regarding any problems or concerns. Please call (973) 322-7811. After 5 pm or on weekends, please call the Saint Barnabas Medical Center at (973) 322-5000 and ask that the radiologist resident on duty be paged.

Between the hours of 7:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday, a nurse coordinator is available to assist you with any problems or concerns. Please call (973) 322-7804.

Please observe these guidelines:

1. Bruising is not unusual. Please inform the radiologist if your breast swells or if there is significant bleeding, redness, warmth or pain.
2. Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) for 24 hours, since this may promote bleeding. Use acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain if necessary. Tylenol 325mg tablets by mouth. Take 2 tablets every 4-6 hours. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours. If you have stopped taking a blood thinner, you may resume the medication in 24 hours.
3. You should receive the results or your aspiration from your physician in approximately 3 to 5 business days.
4.  Schedule a follow-up ultrasound in six months.
5. Follow-up for pathology results with your primary referring physician.

Patient Instructions After Breast Biopsy (Stereotactic or Ultrasound)

A radiologist is available to speak with you Monday – Friday regarding any problems or concerns. Please call (973) 322-7811. After 5 pm or on weekends, please call the Saint Barnabas Medical Center at (973) 322-5000 and ask that the radiologist resident on duty be paged.

Between the hours of 7:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday, a nurse coordinator is available to assist you with any problems or concerns. Please call (973) 322-7804.

Please observe these guidelines:

• Bruising is not unusual. Please inform the radiologist if your breast swells or if there is significant bleeding which does not promptly stop. Apply ice packs at 20 minute intervals through the evening of the day of the procedure, placing a cloth between the ice pack and your skin. The coldness will reduce pain and swelling.
• If you should develop sudden pain, bleeding, redness, warmth or swelling of the breast, please contact the radiologist.
• Oozing through the dressing often occurs. Apply pressure with ice packs if necessary.
• Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) for 24 hours, since this may promote bleeding. Use acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain if necessary. Tylenol 325mg tablets by mouth. Take 2 tablets every 4-6 hours. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours. If you have stopped taking a blood thinner, you may resume the medication in 24 hours.
• Do not shower until the following day. The dressing may be removed 5-7 days following the procedure.
• Handle your breast carefully for three days i.e., do not perform vigorous exercise or lift heavy objects. You may wear your bra as usual.
• The Pathology Department is responsible for analyzing the tissue obtained by the procedure. They take approximately 5 business days to process the tissue and generate a report. Prior to a physician contacting you with your results, the radiologist must receive the pathology report and correlate it with the original mammogram that prompted your biopsy. This assures that the result is appropriate for the lesion (i.e., it “corresponds”). This process may add 1-2 days to your waiting time.
• Please make sure to schedule a follow-up mammogram or ultrasound approximately 6 months following your procedure.
• Follow-up for pathology results with your primary referring physician.

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