Breast Reconstruction
Cancer Survivors or other women who lose breasts in accidents often require breast reconstruction surgery. Breast Reconstruction is done using breast implants and flaps of tissues removed from other parts of the body restoring breast anatomy and symmetry. Often this procedure is followed by another reconstruction to rebuilt natural looking nipple and areola. Breast reconstruction not only has physical benefits but also improves psyche of patients.
Breast cancer is the second most commonly detected cancer in women after lung cancer. Mastectomy or lumpectomy is very effective and useful treatment of Breast cancer but it results in permanent disfigurement. Thus to mask unwanted effects of mastectomy the frequency of surgeons performing breast reconstruction surgery is also increasing. No matter what your age, activity or marital status is, it’s important to feel sense of completeness. Only Breast Reconstruction can make it possible once again. You don’t have to worry about mastectomy bras and prosthetics. Get it done once and forever.
Whether you have mastectomy done recently or years ago, you can get Breast Reconstruction done whenever you want. Nowadays, many surgeons consider performing breast reconstruction at the same time as mastectomy if the patient is in good health. Getting it done together reduces the cost expense, trauma and discomfort of two major operations. If you have chemotherapy or radiation treatment going on, then breast reconstruction should be postponed till the treatment is complete. But only your plastic surgeon can help you decide the appropriate timing for breast reconstruction surgery.
Breast reconstruction is a complex procedure and may take from one to six hours for completion. It is done only under general anesthesia. Two important methods are used which are:
Skin/Tissue Expansion with Breast Implants
Flap reconstruction
Here is some detailed explanation:
Skin/Tissue Expansion With Breast Implants
This is most commonly used in United States and this technique combines expanding skin and/or tissue and inserting implant under your skin or chest muscle. The implant used is temporary saline filled implant. To read more about implant types, please view our page Breast Implants. Gradually over weeks or months, saline solution is injected progressively into implant. Temporary implant is removed after the skin over breast area is stretched enough to required size and is replaced by permanent implant.
Flap Reconstruction
Flap reconstruction is the second common procedure for Breast Reconstruction. In this procedure, tissues are taken from other parts of the body such as back, abdomen, buttocks or thighs and used to reconstruct breast. This procedure is more complex than tissue expansion procedure. Flap reconstruction surgery is of two main types depending on that the blood supply of donor tissue has its original blood supply or original blood supply is cut off and new blood supply is connected.
Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Flap
Tissue for reconstruction is taken from back muscle Latissimus Dorsi, which is large and flat. The muscle tissue is cut off from back without any functional loss and moved to breast area without disturbing its original blood supply. This creates a pocket for placing an implant underneath.
Abdominal Flaps
This procedure requires skilled surgeon. Abdominal flaps is also called as TRAM flap or technically as DIEP or SIEP flap. The donar tissues are taken from abdomen and transplanted into the chest with newly established blood supply. This results in the construction of larger breasts but it leaves more scarring both at donating and recontruction site. Addition benefit to many is the improved abdominal contour because same tissues are removed as in abdominoplasty.
Along with breast reconstruction, many women choose to reconstruct nipple and areola as well. This operation is usually done when breast reconstruction has fully stretched and healed. Use of Prothetic nipple is another option to avoid this surgery.
Recovery time is four to six weeks with pain, discomfort and soreness in first two weeks. Pain can be reduced with administration of painkillers. Associated complication is excessive bleeding, fluid retention, extensive scarring and reaction to anesthesia. With the latest surgical advances, Reconstruction process is now much easier.
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