title: Percutaneous excisional breast biopsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The utility of the vacuum-assisted breast biopsy device (VABB) under stereotactic guidance is well established. We hypothesized that the complete removal of small benign lesions under ultrasonography guidance in an outpatient setting could be obtained with minimal morbidity with the multidirectional hand held vacuum-assisted biopsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients enrolled in this study underwent an ultrasound-guided minimally invasive excisional breast biopsy through a 3-mm incision. Removal of the abnormality was accomplished with a handheld 8- or 11-gauge Mammotome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-one patients had 101 lesions excised. The average (+/- SD) age of the participants was 46.8 +/- 15.4 years. The average size of the lesions was 1.15 +/- 0.43 cm (range 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm). Ninety-four lesions (93%) had benign pathology, five lesions (5%) were malignant, and two (2%) lesions had atypical hyperplasia. Six-month baseline mammogram performed in 71% of patients more than 40 years old documented resolution of percutaneously removed lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vacuum-assisted excisional breast biopsy under ultrasound guidance is an effective technique for the therapeutic management of benign lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare Systems, Little Rock, USA.
authors.forename: Anita T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Ronda S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Henry-Tillman
authors.forename: Lanette F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harshfield
authors.forename: Sohelia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korourian
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colvert
authors.forename: V Suzanne
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Klimberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*