In the case of a radical mastectomy, what would you expect to find at the grossing table?

In a radical mastectomy, the surgeon removes not only the breast tissue but also other associated structures to address breast cancer comprehensively. At the grossing table, you would expect to find the axillary tail containing lymph nodes, which are critical for staging and determining the extent of the disease, along with the nipple, a skin ellipse, and the breast tissue itself.

The presence of the axillary tail indicates that lymphatic drainage pathways have been considered, and removing the lymph nodes helps to assess any potential spread of cancer. This thorough approach is crucial for accurate pathology assessment and subsequent treatment planning. Thus, the combination of these specific anatomical elements is indicative of a complete radical mastectomy procedure, confirming that all relevant tissue was excised.