Breast Reconstruction Surgery

7.11.2011 | By: I. M.

What do you need to know before you decide for breast reconstruction surgery?

Breast reconstruction can be performed with the help of implants or own tissue. (PhotoXpress)

Join us on Facebook!

After mastectomy many women decide to have a breast reconstruction surgery. This decision isn’t rare, and whether it’s made because of comfort or self-image, you have to think the matter through before you undergo the breast reconstructive surgery. There are two types of reconstruction. The first is reconstruction using your own tissue and the second is reconstruction using an implant. First you have to decide which of the types suits you best and what your wishes are. Implants don’t feel as natural as tissue, but the operation using implants is performed more quickly than autologous reconstruction, that is, reconstruction where the tissue is taken from your abdomen or back. Naturally, this procedure is much more complex and demanding.

More than one operation needed

Before you decide to have a breast reconstruction surgery, you have to know that sometimes it’s necessary to undergo more than one operation, even if you decide to have reconstruction immediately after mastectomy. The reason is that surgeons never perform the reconstructive surgery of the areola and nipple at the same time. First the symmetry of both breasts has to be ensured, since the shape and fullness of the breast change because of mastectomy. Only then they can perform the reconstructive surgery of the areola and nipple.

Consulting your surgeon

Discuss your options with your surgeon, so you’ll know what exactly to expect from an operation. He or she should explain everything about the risks and advantages of such an operation, and you also ask to see photographs of such operations. Look at the photographs of patients where you can see changes before and after breast reconstructive surgery. You can also consult your surgeon what size and type of an implant is the most suitable for your body. Before surgery, he or she should also provide information on the care of scars if they’re visible.

Autologous breast reconstruction

Reconstruction with the help of abdominal muscles

This type of autologous breast reconstruction involves taking muscle from your lower abdomen. The muscle is usually redirected from the abdomen to the chest under the skin, where it’s shaped into a breast. At the end, the surgeon sews up the cut on the abdomen with stitches. The positive side of the procedure is a smaller and thinner abdomen.

Reconstruction with the help of tissue from the back

Similar to abdominal muscle, the muscle taken from the upper back is redirected under the skin, or in other words, repositioned on the chest wall where it’s used as a pocket for an implant, or it’s shaped into a breast without using an implant.

Both types of operation last several hours and there are further operations needed in both cases. An obstacle to perform surgery is often posed by excessive smoking, obesity, diabetes or vascular diseases.

Breast reconstruction using implants

Reconstruction using implants is a more common operation than autologous breast reconstruction. Your surgeon will, of course, first check whether your body is suitable for such an operation and give all necessary information beforehand. If your chest tissue is too tough for the insertion of an implant, there’s a possibility that your surgeon will first have to insert the so-called ‘balloons’ in your chest with the help of which your tissue will become more elastic. In the case of ‘balloons’, your surgeon will inject a saline solution into your breasts once a week, which will make room for a silicone implant. This type of preparations for the replacement by an implant will last six to eight weeks. Injections are a rather unpleasant part of the procedure. It’s good to know that implants don’t last forever and that they have to be replaced after several years, which means that you have to replace old implants by new ones. Patients who received X-ray treatment, or will receive such a treatment, are usually advised not to have breast implants inserted. The positive side of breast reconstruction using implants is that there’s no chance of breast cancer recurrence on that spot because breast tissue is practically gone.