Buddy Check 3: How a new breast cancer surgery is easier for women - KY3

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - This is your monthly reminder to check with a buddy, who can be a family member or friend, to make sure you’re both following the guidelines to troubleshoot breast cancer.

Many who discover they have breast cancer continue to see the benefits of technology applied to treatment.  Among the technology is a system called the SAVI Scout.   It’s making breast cancer surgery easier, not only for the surgeon but for the patients who say it makes it easier to prepare for surgery.

Annabel Crites has no shortage of friends here in the Ozarks or Arizona. She retired as a school principal.   Over the years, her grown children and grandkids kept her coming back to Springfield so much, she made a second home here.  A surprise diagnosis followed her recent routine mammogram.

Annabel said she had just turned 80, had a big birthday party, then went for her routine mammogram where for the first time she was called back for a second look.  Turns out breast cancer is not uncommon for women in their 80′s.  An ultrasound and biopsy confirmed Annabel needed a lumpectomy.  But before a lumpectomy,  patients have always had to have a procedure the day of surgery to find cancer that’s been biopsied and mark it for the surgeon.

“They come to us first in radiology and we place a needle down, you know down to cancer, and a wire actually stays in place, sticking out of their breasts,” said Dr. Amanda Lackey, Diagnostic Radiologist. “The surgeon uses a wire to guide them to the right area of the breast.”  

Mercy Hospital patients, like Annabel, no longer have to have that wire implanted as a guide. They are benefiting from a new piece of technology called the SAVI Scout.  It acts as a type of GPS, directing surgeons to the lump that needs to be removed.

Dr. Lackey describes it as a small little reflector.

“We’re able to go down and place it right into the area that we biopsied,” said Dr. Lackey. “Then the surgeon can use a probe that basically finds that little reflector and follows it down any which way and gets to do the lumpectomy.”

Another advantage allows the surgeon more options on accessing the tumor.  Dr. Lackey says with a wire, they were limited to wherever that wire was sticking out. They would basically do their incision and follow the wire down. With the little reflector, they can do a little incision well hidden.  And she says the benefits for the patient are so much better.  They don’t have to come the same day, they can come a week in advance, or year, it’s been phenomenal.  

Our patients have loved it.  Annabel loved it.

“Now my friends that have had it had to get wires sticking out and a lot of pain and bother and their surgery took longer,” said Annabel.  “So I feel just blessed they have the Scout because it led him right to it and I came home feeling fine.”  

A high-tech tool getting people like Annabel through their battle with breast cancer and back to their normal lives.  Annabel’s halfway through her chemo treatments and her prognosis is great.  She’s a good example of never giving up on those routine mammograms to troubleshoot breast cancer.  

Springfield’s CoxHealth also has this technology for patients who meet certain criteria.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com

Copyright 2021 KY3. All rights reserved.

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