Breast Reconstruction
Breast Reconstruction
For many women diagnosed with breast cancer, mastectomy, or
breast removal, is an unfortunate and inescapable option. Women
who have undergone this surgery can choose to have breast reconstruction.
This procedure recreates the size and shape of the patient's
natural breast and can renew a woman's sense of beauty and femininity.
The Surgery
The most common breast reconstruction technique combines skin
expansion with a breast implant (a silicone shell filled with
a saline solution). The surgeon makes an incision in the crease
of the armpit, and inserts a balloon expander under the chest
muscle. The incision is then stitched. Over a period of weeks,
the surgeon injects saline solution into the expander through
a tiny valve that lies just below the skin's surface. Once the
skin has stretched sufficiently, the doctor removes the expander
and replaces it with a permanent implant. A final operation
reconstructs the nipple and areola (the dark skin surrounding
the nipple). In some cases, no tissue expansion is required
and the permanent implant can be inserted during the initial
surgery.
Alternative Approach
Breast reconstruction can also be accomplished through a technique
called flap reconstruction. In one approach, the surgeon creates
a flap of chest tissue (skin, fat, and muscle still attached
to its blood supply) that serves as a pocket for an implant
or as the chest mound itself. The surgeon may decide to create
flap tissue from the abdomen, thigh, or buttocks and relocate
it to the chest area. Breast reconstruction generally involves
multiple procedures, and is almost always performed under general
anesthesia. The initial surgery is performed in a hospital,
while follow up procedures are often outpatient based.
After Surgery
Following the surgery, patients experience some fatigue and
soreness for several weeks. Postoperative conditions such as
bruising, swelling, and discomfort are typically reduced through
medication. Patients can expect to return home in two to five
days.
Health Concerns
As with any cosmetic surgical procedure, complications are rare,
but include implant leaks, infection, fluid loss or gain, bleeding,
and a reaction to the anesthesia. Fortunately, new advances
in technology have minimized the impact of these potential post-surgical
complications. For example, new implants are filled with saline
water solution, so in the rare instance of a leak, only water
is escaping from the implant. The most common complication is
capsular contracture (a tightening of the scar or capsule surrounding
the implant). If this should occur, the surgeon will either
remove the scar tissue, or remove and replace the implant. If
you smoke, your surgeon will probably ask that you quit two
weeks prior to and following the treatment. To maximize the
success of surgery and minimize the risk of complication, always
follow your doctor's instructions for surgical preparation and
postoperative care.
top
|
