Is chest muscle left in tact after MastX?

If the cancer is nowhere near the chest muscle, will the surgeon carefully dissect the breast tissue away from the chest muscle leaving it intact? Does any chest muscle (even minimal amount) get taken during mastectomy, if there is no cancer involvement in that area?

Is this an appropriate question to ask a potential surgeon: do you take the time to ensure no muscle is taken? - or is the surgeon going to be insulted if a patient dares to question his/her techniques?

Do surgeons keep records on this for themselves? Is it a reasonable request to want to know this?

[Cleveland Clinic]

Dear Strike3:  In general, the chest muscle is left intact during most types of mastectomy.  The exception would be a radical mastectomy (not modified radical mastectomy) which is not done much anymore unless the chest wall is involved.