Surgical Care in Westchester & Hudson Valley

Breast Care in Westchester & Hudson Valley

Expert breast care in Westchester & Hudson Valley

NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester and NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital provide advanced, personalized care for breast cancer and breast disorders, supporting you from diagnosis through treatment, surgery, and recovery. Our experienced breast surgeons are pioneers in the latest techniques, with expertise in minimally invasive procedures that allow for smaller incisions, faster healing, and preservation of the breast’s natural appearance whenever possible. We collaborate closely with medical oncology, radiation oncology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, pathology, and patient services to give you the best possible outcomes. With access to innovative diagnostic imaging and a multidisciplinary approach to care, you can trust our experts to provide comprehensive breast care from every angle.

We also offer a range of breast imaging services accredited by the American College of Radiology. Patients can find top-tier breast cancer screening and diagnostic options, including 3D mammography, breast ultrasound and MRI, breast biopsy, needle localization, and breast reflector placement, in a comfortable environment close to home.

A leading center for breast imaging – right here in Westchester

The Carol H. Taylor Breast Health Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester provides breast imaging and biopsies in a supportive, patient-centered environment. Our staff, which includes expert radiologists and technologists, offers a range of cutting-edge services, including 3D and digital mammography, breast ultrasound, stereotactic, MRI-guided, and ultrasound-guided biopsy options, and breast MRI. With an award-winning team, convenient hours, and the latest diagnostic technologies, our center stands as a top destination for breast care in Westchester County.

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Breast care services

Our specialists offer advanced surgical approaches for breast cancer treatment and breast reconstruction.

Lumpectomy (breast-conserving surgery)

Some women are able to have a breast tumor removed while leaving the remainder of the breast intact. Lumpectomy (typically combined with radiation therapy and sometimes chemotherapy and hormonal therapy) has been shown to be as effective as mastectomy for treating many small breast cancers. We take an oncoplastic approach to lumpectomy to minimize the appearance of the incision.

Mastectomy

This procedure involves removal of the entire breast (simple mastectomy) or the breast plus underarm lymph nodes (modified radical mastectomy). Some women can have skin-sparing mastectomy (in which inner breast tissue is removed but the skin is left in place) or, depending on the location of the tumor and breast shape, nipple-preserving mastectomy (in which nipple tissue is left along with the skin, when cancer has not invaded the nipple and its shape permits this operation). Skin-sparing and nipple-preserving mastectomy prepare the patient for breast reconstruction. We also offer risk-reducing mastectomy (sometimes called “prophylactic mastectomy”) for women at high risk of breast cancer, such as those with mutations in the BRCA genes.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy

Most women having surgery for breast cancer undergo removal of at least some lymph nodes under the arm to see if they contain cancer cells. Our surgeons perform sentinel node biopsy, where the first nodes to which cancer cells would spread are removed and analyzed first. If these nodes are free of cancer, no other nodes are removed, reducing a patient’s risk of lymphedema (uncomfortable swelling of the arm that can occur after lymph node removal). If the nodes do contain cancer cells, then more lymph nodes may be removed for examination.

Breast reconstruction

Our reconstructive breast surgeons offer the most up-to-date approaches, which may offer more convenience and comfort than traditional implant-based breast reconstruction. We have expertise in a range of breast surgery options, including direct-to-implant surgery, patient-controlled breast expanders, and fat-grafting.

Direct-to-implant surgery

Some women can have an implant inserted during mastectomy surgery, rather than needing to wait another few months while an expander stretches the skin to prepare it for an implant, followed by a second surgery to remove the expander and insert the implant. Instead, the implant is inserted immediately after breast tissue is removed during a mastectomy, without needing a second surgery.

Patient-controlled breast expander

A patient-controlled air expander is an option for many women who are preparing for breast implantation and are not having direct-to-implant surgery. Traditionally, women who want an implant have an expander inserted at the time of mastectomy and return to the clinic for periodic visits over a series of months to have saline injected into the expander, before eventually returning to have the expander removed and the implant inserted. Surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester were the first in Westchester County to insert an air expander, which women inject air into on their own via a remote control. Because they can add air to the expander several times each day, rather than waiting to have the expander enlarged in greater increments at clinic visits less frequently, the expansion process is more comfortable, convenient, and faster. At our hospital, we are able to offer this option to patients planning implant-based reconstruction.

Fat grafting

Our surgeons sometimes inject fat (taken from the patient’s belly, hips, or thighs) into areas around the reconstructed breast to achieve a smooth, consistent, and more natural look to the breast.

Award-winning care

NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester is designated by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. Accreditation by the NAPBC is given only to centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the highest level of quality breast care and undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital is ranked in the top 5% of hospitals for comprehensive breast care by the Women's Choice Award.

The cancer programs at NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester are both accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. Our programs are recognized for meeting or exceeding quality care standards and maintaining levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.