Breast Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

If you have had a mastectomy, you are likely a good candidate for breast reconstruction. Sometimes breast reconstruction is done at the same time as the mastectomy; other times it not done until after recovery from a mastectomy. Talk to your surgeon to find out when is the most appropriate time to schedule your breast reconstruction surgery.

The Breast Reconstruction Procedure
Breast reconstruction may be performed under general anesthesia or under local anesthesia with IV sedation, depending on the extent of your surgery and your plastic surgeon’s preferences.
           
Sometimes a mastectomy or radiation therapy will leave you without enough tissue on your chest to cover and support a breast implant. If you do not have enough chest tissue to support a breast implant, a flap technique or tissue expansion will be used to reposition your own muscle, fat, and skin to cover your breast implant (see below).

Flap Techniques
A TRAM (transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous) flap uses muscle, fat and skin from your stomach to reconstruct your breast. A latissimus dorsi flap uses muscle, fat, and skin from your back. A DIEP or SGAP flap techniques uses tissue from your stomach or buttocks. The DIEP or SGAP flap techniques do not use muscle. After your flap technique, a breast implant will be inserted to reconstruct the breast.

Tissue Expansion
Tissue expansion stretches your skin so that it will be able to cover your breast implant. This procedure takes longer, but your breast reconstruction recovery will be easier. Breast reconstruction with tissue expansion takes 4-6 months, as the implanted expander is slowly filled to expand the skin. This type of breast reconstruction requires several office visits. Once the tissue has been expanded, a second surgery is required to replace the expander with an implant, if the expander is not designed to serve as a permanent breast implant.

 After a flap technique or tissue expansion, grafting or other specialized techniques are used to create a nipple and areola.

Breast Reconstruction Support Garments
Your doctor may instruct you to continuously wear a compression garment immediately following your breast reconstruction procedure. Breast reconstruction support garments are designed to help improve blood circulation and reduce swelling, thereby decreasing your breast surgery recovery time. Breast reconstruction recovery garments are designed to stabilize your implant(s), keep it in the correct position, and prevent the breast implant’s natural tendency to rise.

To purchase a breast reconstruction recovery garment, click on the links below. Among your garment options are augmentation bandeaus, compression vests, and a variety of compression and post-surgical bras. Ask your doctor which type(s) of garment is best for you.

These garments are usually worn continuously for several weeks, so you should probably have more than one on hand.

 References
1. American Society of Plastic Surgeons (http://www.plasticsurgery.org/)
2. American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org)

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Breast Augmentation Information | Are you a Candidate? | Breast Augmentation Surgeon Choice | Pre-Surgical Consultation | Breast Augmentation Before and After Photos | Breast Augmentation Anesthesia Types | Breast Augmentation Procedure | Breast Augmentation Videos | Transumbilical Breast Augmentation | Breast Augmentation Surgery Recovery | Breast Augmentation Risks | Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction | Breast Augmentation FAQ | Board Certified Breast Augmentation Surgeons | Boob Jobs | Breast Augmentation Internet Directory | Breast Enlargement | Breast Reconstruction