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Is Breast Reconstruction
Right for Me? The long-term prospects of
living without a breast or
part of one affects every
woman differently. The
choice for one woman won't
necessarily be right for
another. It’s a personal
decision, and it's often not
easy to make.
You can choose to skip
reconstruction. You can wear
external breast forms or
pads, or make no attempt to
change your appearance.
Improvements in plastic
surgery mean better results
now than ever before,
though. You can choose
breast reconstruction using
either breast implants or
your own tissue.
The operation changes your
appearance, but it can have
psychological benefits as
well. It can add to a sense
of wellness for you and your
family.
Is It Cosmetic Surgery? Restoring the breast isn’t
considered a cosmetic
procedure. It’s
reconstructive surgery.
Since it’s considered part
of the treatment of a
disease, the law says
insurance providers must
provide coverage.
When’s the Best Time to
Have Breast Reconstruction? The timing is based on your
desires, medical conditions,
and cancer treatment. You
can choose to have it done
during the same operation to
remove the breast, or months
or years after a mastectomy.
If you've started any
chemotherapy or radiation
treatments, reconstruction
is usually postponed until
you complete those
treatments. Your surgeon can
help you decide the right
timing for you.
What Are the Different
Reconstruction Options? You and your doctor will
need to talk about your
wants and needs, your
medical condition, and any
previous surgery before you
decide.
Implants involve stretching
the skin with a tissue
expander that goes inside
you, and then inserting a
silicone-gel
or saline (salt water)
implant weeks later. The
tissue expander is filled to
a desired volume by adding
saline, usually once a week
for a few sessions. Many
women find these sessions
painful, but they’re often
pleased with the final
result.
What Are the Different
Reconstruction Options?
continued... Implants can rupture,
causing pain and infection.
You may need surgery to
remove or replace them.
Tissue flap procedures use a
woman's own tissue taken
from the abdomen or back (or
sometimes the thighs and
bottom) to create a mound to
reconstruct the breast.
Taking abdominal tissue is
called a TRAM flap. Taking
tissue from the back is
called a latissimus dorsi
flap. Sometimes the tissue
being moved is kept attached
to its blood supply. Other
times it’s disconnected and
then reconnected to a blood
supply near the new
location.
You may want to consider
nipple reconstruction, too.
Usually, the nipple and
areola (the dark area around
the nipple) are removed
during the mastectomy to
lower the chance of cancer
returning. Nipple
reconstruction is typically
an outpatient procedure done
with local anesthesia. You
may have it after breast
reconstruction is complete.
This allows the new tissue
to heal and settle into
place. Minor adjustments in
size and position of the
breast can be carried out
when the nipple and areola
are rebuilt.
Surgeons can make a nipple
from tissue taken from the
back or abdominal flap. It’s
then tattooed to resemble
the color of a nipple. In
rare cases, the nipple from
the original breast can be
reattached, but only if the
surgeon is convinced the
tissue is cancer-free.
Because of a lack of nerve
connections, the nipple will
not rise or flatten in
response to touch or
temperature.
A prosthetic nipple is
another option. The plastic
surgeon makes a copy of your
natural nipple and colors
the areola. It can be glued
to the breast and re-glued
every week or so.
How Long Does Breast
Reconstruction Surgery Take? Preparation for the
procedure, including getting
anesthesia, may take 2
hours. Once it begins, the
reconstruction
will take anywhere from 1 to
6 hours. After the surgery,
you'll spend about 2 to 3
hours in recovery before
being
transferred to a hospital
room.
Recovery From Breast
Reconstruction Surgery. You may have some discomfort
for the first few days
afterward. You’ll be given
pain medication as needed.
Throughout your hospital
stay, the staff will closely
watch you.
Recovery From Breast
Reconstruction Surgery
continued... Soon after surgery you’ll be
encouraged to move your
arms, but not for any
forceful activity like
pulling yourself up, getting
out of bed, or lifting heavy
objects. Nurses will help
you in and out of bed.
The day after surgery, you
may be able to sit in a
chair beside the bed. On the
second day, most patients
are walking without help.
You’ll likely get IV fluids
for a day or two. You may
have a urinary catheter in
overnight or until you can
walk to the bathroom. You’ll
also have drains at the
incision sites. If you go
home with these drains in
place, you’ll get
instructions on how to care
for them |
