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Nicola Davis - Breast & General Surgeon

Private Service, General Surgery, Breast

Today

Description

Dr Nicola Davis is an oncoplastic breast and general surgeon consulting from Tauranga Specialist Centre and operating at Grace Hospital, Tauranga.

Nicola performs a range of breast surgery procedures, from removing benign lesions to the surgical management of breast cancer.
 
Nicola also offers a range of general surgery operations, including hernia repair (laparoscopic or open), laparoscopic cholecystectomy, thyroidectomy and skin lesion excision.
 
Nicola believes in patient-centred care and will work with you to navigate complex treatment decisions, ensuring you have all the information required to make a fully informed decision that is right for you. 
 

What is General Surgery?
The role of the general surgeon varies but in broad terms general surgery can be said to deal with a wide range of conditions within the abdomen, breast, neck, skin and, often, vascular (blood vessel) system.

While the name would suggest that the focus of general surgery is to perform operations, often this is not the case. Many patients are referred to surgeons with conditions that do not need surgical procedures, but merely require counselling or medical treatment.
 

What is Oncoplastic Breast Surgery?
Oncoplastic breast surgery merges the principles of oncologic surgery, in which cancerous tissue is removed, with those of plastic surgery which reconstructs an area following surgery.

In oncoplastic breast surgery, plastic surgery techniques are used to reshape the breast by remodelling of remaining breast tissue, advancing other tissue into the defect or reconstructing a breast using implants.

Consultants

Referral Expectations

When you come to your appointment, your surgeon will ask questions about your illness and examine you to try to determine or confirm the diagnosis. This process may also require a number of tests (e.g. blood tests, x-rays, scans etc). Sometimes this can all be done during one visit, but for some conditions this will take several follow-up appointments. Occasionally some tests are arranged even before your appointment to try to speed up the process.
 
Once a diagnosis has been made, your surgeon will discuss treatment with you. In some instances this will mean surgery, while other cases can be managed with medication and advice. If surgery is advised, the steps involved in the surgical process and the likely outcome are usually discussed with you at this time.

Fees and Charges Description

  

Dr Nicola Davis is a Southern Cross Affiliated Provider and an nib First Choice Provider

Hours

Mon – Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Consultations available Friday mornings 8.00 am - noon

Procedures / Treatments

Breast Disorders Including Oncoplastic Breast Cancer Surgery

General surgery covers breast diseases including breast cancer and benign breast conditions such as benign breast lumps and nipple discharge. It also covers assessment and management of people who have a strong family history of breast cancer or who are known to carry a breast cancer causing gene. You will usually require a number of investigations including a mammogram, ultrasound scan and biopsy of tissue for a diagnosis to be made, these are usually done by a Radiologist prior to your surgical appointment. Breast cancer surgery may be: Simple or Total Mastectomy: all breast tissue, skin and the nipple are surgically removed but the muscles lying under the breast and the lymph nodes are left in place. Modified Radical Mastectomy: all breast tissue, skin and the nipple as well as some lymph tissue are surgically removed. Skin or Nipple Sparing Mastectomy: the underlying breast tissue is removed, leaving the skin envelope and often the nipple/areola in place. This is used in patients who are having an immediate breast reconstruction. Lumpectomy/Wide Local Excision: the breast lump and surrounding tissue, as well as some lymph tissue, are surgically removed. When combined with radiation treatment, this is known as breast-conserving surgery. Sentinel Node Biopsy: involves removing the first draining nodes of the breast and is important in treatment and staging of early breast cancer. Axillary Lymph Node Dissection: involves removing all of the draining lymph nodes of the breast in patients who are known to have spread of breast cancer to these nodes. Breast Reconstruction When a breast has been removed (mastectomy) because of cancer or other disease, it is possible in most cases to reconstruct a breast similar to a natural breast. A breast reconstruction can be performed as part of the breast removal operation or can be performed months or years later. There are two methods of breast reconstruction: one involves using an implant; the other uses tissue taken from another part of your body. There may be medical reasons why one of these methods is more suitable for you or, in other cases, you may be given a choice. Implants A silicone sack filled with either silicone gel or saline (salt water) is inserted underneath the chest muscle or skin. Before being inserted, the skin will sometimes need to be stretched to the required breast size. This is done by placing an empty bag where the implant will finally go, and gradually filling it with saline over weeks or months. The bag is then replaced by the implant in an operation that will probably take 2-3 hours under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it). You will probably stay in hospital for 2-3 days. Flap Reconstruction A skin flap taken from another part of the body such as your stomach or back, is used to reconstruct the breast. This is a more complicated operation than having an implant and may last up to 6 hours and require a 5- to 7-day stay in hospital. If you require a flap reconstruction, a Plastic Surgeon will perform this part of the procedure. Read more about breast operations here.

General surgery covers breast diseases including breast cancer and benign breast conditions such as benign breast lumps and nipple discharge. It also covers assessment and management of people who have a strong family history of breast cancer or who are known to carry a breast cancer causing gene.  

You will usually require a number of investigations including a mammogram, ultrasound scan and biopsy of tissue for a diagnosis to be made, these are usually done by a Radiologist prior to your surgical appointment.

 

Breast cancer surgery may be:

  • Simple or Total Mastectomy: all breast tissue, skin and the nipple are surgically removed but the muscles lying under the breast and the lymph nodes are left in place.
  • Modified Radical Mastectomy: all breast tissue, skin and the nipple as well as some lymph tissue are surgically removed.
  • Skin or Nipple Sparing Mastectomy: the underlying breast tissue is removed, leaving the skin envelope and often the nipple/areola in place.  This is used in patients who are having an immediate breast reconstruction.
  • Lumpectomy/Wide Local Excision: the breast lump and surrounding tissue, as well as some lymph tissue, are surgically removed. When combined with radiation treatment, this is known as breast-conserving surgery.  
  • Sentinel Node Biopsy: involves removing the first draining nodes of the breast and is important in treatment and staging of early breast cancer.
  • Axillary Lymph Node Dissection: involves removing all of the draining lymph nodes of the breast in patients who are known to have spread of breast cancer to these nodes.

 

Breast Reconstruction

When a breast has been removed (mastectomy) because of cancer or other disease, it is possible in most cases to reconstruct a breast similar to a natural breast. A breast reconstruction can be performed as part of the breast removal operation or can be performed months or years later.

There are two methods of breast reconstruction: one involves using an implant; the other uses tissue taken from another part of your body. There may be medical reasons why one of these methods is more suitable for you or, in other cases, you may be given a choice.

Implants

A silicone sack filled with either silicone gel or saline (salt water) is inserted underneath the chest muscle or skin. Before being inserted, the skin will sometimes need to be stretched to the required breast size. This is done by placing an empty bag where the implant will finally go, and gradually filling it with saline over weeks or months. The bag is then replaced by the implant in an operation that will probably take 2-3 hours under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it). You will probably stay in hospital for 2-3 days.

Flap Reconstruction

A skin flap taken from another part of the body such as your stomach or back, is used to reconstruct the breast. This is a more complicated operation than having an implant and may last up to 6 hours and require a 5- to 7-day stay in hospital.  If you require a flap reconstruction, a Plastic Surgeon will perform this part of the procedure.

 

Read more about breast operations here.

Thyroid Disorders

If a thyroid gland is enlarged and causing compressive symptoms, there is a concerning nodule or it is producing too much thyroid hormone that can't be controlled with medication then it can be removed surgically. Depending on the reason for the operation, this may require removing part or all of the thyroid gland. You will need to stay overnight in the close observation unit after the operation and are usually able to go home the day after surgery. Read about thyroidectomy here.

If a thyroid gland is enlarged and causing compressive symptoms, there is a concerning nodule or it is producing too much thyroid hormone that can't be controlled with medication then it can be removed surgically.  Depending on the reason for the operation, this may require removing part or all of the thyroid gland.  You will need to stay overnight in the close observation unit after the operation and are usually able to go home the day after surgery.

Read about thyroidectomy here.

Gallstones

General surgery covers some disorders of the liver and biliary system. The most common of these is pain caused by gallstones. These are formed if the gallbladder is not working properly, and the standard treatment is to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy). This procedure is usually performed using a laparoscopic (keyhole) approach. Read about laparoscopic cholecystectomy here.

General surgery covers some disorders of the liver and biliary system. The most common of these is pain caused by gallstones. These are formed if the gallbladder is not working properly, and the standard treatment is to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy). This procedure is usually performed using a laparoscopic (keyhole) approach.

Read about laparoscopic cholecystectomy here.

Hernias

A hernia exists where part of the abdominal wall is weakened, and the contents of the abdomen push through to the outside. This is most commonly seen in the groin area but can occur in other places. Surgical treatment is usually quite straightforward and involves returning the abdominal contents to the inside and then reinforcing the abdominal wall in some way. Read about laparoscopic groin hernia repair here. Read about open hernia repair here.

A hernia exists where part of the abdominal wall is weakened, and the contents of the abdomen push through to the outside. This is most commonly seen in the groin area but can occur in other places. Surgical treatment is usually quite straightforward and involves returning the abdominal contents to the inside and then reinforcing the abdominal wall in some way.  

Read about laparoscopic groin hernia repair here.

Read about open hernia repair here.

Skin Disorders Including Melanoma Surgery

Skin conditions dealt with by general surgery include lumps, tumours and other lesions of the skin and underlying tissues. Common conditions include melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, lipoma, sebaceous cyst and lymph node biopsy. These are often fairly simple conditions that can be dealt with by performing minor operations under local anaesthetic (the area of skin being treated is numbed). Often these procedures are performed as outpatient or day case procedures. Read about skin cancer surgery here.

Skin conditions dealt with by general surgery include lumps, tumours and other lesions of the skin and underlying tissues. Common conditions include melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, lipoma, sebaceous cyst and lymph node biopsy.

These are often fairly simple conditions that can be dealt with by performing minor operations under local anaesthetic (the area of skin being treated is numbed). Often these procedures are performed as outpatient or day case procedures.

Read about skin cancer surgery here.

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Other

Urgent appointments available, phone (07) 5715548

Contact Details

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Tauranga Specialist Centre
752 Cameron Road
Tauranga South
Tauranga
Bay Of Plenty 3112

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Street Address

Tauranga Specialist Centre
752 Cameron Road
Tauranga South
Tauranga
Bay Of Plenty 3112

Postal Address

752 Cameron Rd
Tauranga 3140

This page was last updated at 1:37PM on July 7, 2024. This information is reviewed and edited by Nicola Davis - Breast & General Surgeon.