Description

Swollen lymph nodes, which doctors call lymphadenopathy, are usually a sign of something else going on in my body rather than a disease by themselves. Whether I need surgery for these swollen nodes depends on what’s causing them. Here’s when I might need surgery and what that means for me: **When Do I Need Surgery for Swollen Lymph Nodes?** 1. **Biopsy (Lymph Node Excision Biopsy)** If doctors suspect cancer, lymphoma, or an infection like tuberculosis, they might do a biopsy. This means they will take out a whole lymph node or part of it to check for problems. This is usually a simple outpatient procedure. 2. **Treatment of Infected or Abscessed Nodes** If a lymph node gets really infected and creates an abscess (a pocket of pus), I might need surgery to drain it. This can be done with local or general anesthesia. 3. **Cancer Treatment (Lymph Node Dissection or Removal)** If cancer has spread to my lymph nodes, like in breast cancer or melanoma, doctors might remove nearby nodes during cancer surgery. This procedure is called lymphadenectomy and could involve nodes in my armpit, neck, or groin.