What specimens are typically associated with a simple mastectomy?

A simple mastectomy involves the surgical removal of breast tissue along with the surrounding tissue, which generally includes the overlying skin and the nipple-areolar complex. The procedure typically aims to remove the entire breast to treat or prevent breast cancer, making it essential to excise not only the breast parenchyma but also the skin covering and the nipple for optimal oncological safety and aesthetic considerations.

The other options do not accurately represent the specimens associated with this procedure. For instance, removing breast tissue without skin fails to account for the need to ensure complete excision of potential diseased tissue while preserving as much healthy surrounding tissue as possible. Removing the entire rectum is unrelated to breast surgery and pertains to procedures dealing with rectal or colorectal conditions. Similarly, lymph nodes are not a focus of a simple mastectomy, as this procedure specifically targets the breast and its immediate associated structures rather than lymphatic tissue, which may be addressed in different surgical contexts.