lidocaine and titanium marker with breast biopsy

[cbarrie]

i am scheduled to have a biopsy of a small mass in my breast and am currently breastfeeding my 3 month old. two things:

1. they will be using lidocaine to numb the breast for the procedure. is there any need to delay breastfeeding following the procedure?

2. they will be putting a titanium marker in my breast to mark where the biopsy was performed. since i am breastfeeding, the idea of putting metal in my breast makes me very uneasy. i could not find any information online specific to titanium markers and breastfeeding…would there be any risks to my babe with this?

[admin]

Cbarrie:

As for lidocaine, I'd withhold breastfeeding until pain returns, which will be a few hours. The return of pain, indicates that all the lidocaine has been eliminated and it's safe to breastfeed.

As for the titanium marker, it is of no risk to an infant. It's titanium after all, and does not really degrade over time. It's not a problem.

Tom Hale Ph.D.

[cbarrie]

thank you for the prompt response! i did read that while titanium will not corrode within the body, the metal ions do diffuse and accumulate in the tissue. i just don’t want to do anything that puts my baby’s development at risk. i appreciate any other feedback !