Educated Care

Patients come to see Dr. James Vopal of the Breast Care Center of the Treasure Coast with a great deal of concern or anxiety about a breast abnormality, but they leave with solid understanding of their condition and information about its treatment.  "Most women have never seen their own mammograms," says Dr. Vopal, a board-certified general surgeon who has tuned his practice to breast care needs.  "I go over the mammogram and results with them and explain treatments.

A relatively new nonsurgical procedure Dr. Vopal employs is the sterotactic mammography-directed biopsy.  It requires a very small incision and can test masses that are too small to be felt by the hand.  "You don't have to go to an operating room," Dr. Vopal explains, "and the results are exceedingly accurate."  With computer guidance, a multi-dimensional image of the breast is created and a needle is inserted through an incision no greater than 4 millimeters in size.  The procedure, which lasts 15-30 minutes, can take as many as 20 samples with a single insertion and creates no subsequent disfigurement.

Friendly Staff & Atmosphere

Dr. Vopal and his staff take these patient concerns seriously.  "My office is set up to make people feel at ease," says Dr. Vopal.  "We try to get people in for an appointment within 48 hours, if possible."  He has even decorated the office with live orchids, a salt-water fish tank and soothing artwork to make the atmosphere more comfortable.