This technique is appropriate for women whose cancer is found in a very early stage and whose tumor is located away from the nipple. Most women who undergo nipple-sparing implant reconstruction have moderate breast volume and minimal droop in their nipple position. When Is Non-Nipple-Sparing Implant Reconstruction Using Tissue Expanders Best?
Can breast reconstruction be done at the same time?
Breast Reconstruction Using Implants. Using a breast implant is one option for reconstructing the shape of your breast after surgery to remove the cancer. Several types of implants can be used. This type of breast reconstruction can be done at the same time as the cancer surgery.
Can breast implants be used to reconstruct breast cancer?
Using a breast implant is one option for reconstructing the shape of your breast after surgery to remove the cancer. Several types of implants can be used. This type of breast reconstruction can be done at the same time as the cancer surgery. Or it can be started when you have your cancer surgery and then completed later.
Is breast reconstruction possible after a lumpectomy?
In general, women who have lumpectomy or partial mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer do not have reconstruction. However, for some of these women the surgeon may use plastic surgery techniques to reshape the breast at the time of cancer surgery.
What is immediate breast reconstruction (implant reconstruction)?
Immediate breast reconstruction (also called direct-to-implant reconstruction) is done, or at least started, at the same time as surgery to treat the cancer. The implant is put in the same time as the mastectomy is done. After the surgeon removes the breast tissue, a plastic surgeon puts in a breast implant.
What type of implant is best for reconstruction?
Gummy Bear Implants They are made from a highly cohesive silicone gel. These implants hold their shape particularly well, which has unique advantages for breast reconstruction. They also tend to have superior long-term performance due to a lower rate of rupture.
Should I get breast implants after breast cancer?
Breast implants (silicone or saline) are a good option to rebuild a breast’s shape after a mastectomy. While the main focus is to add volume and size to the reconstructed breast, other procedures such as changing the size/shape of the new breast, and enhancing the opposite breast to match size are common as well.
Are breast implants safe for reconstruction?
A small number of women might be candidates for a direct to implant breast reconstruction. This means the breast implant is put in place at the same time as the mastectomy. Women most often suitable for this type of reconstruction are young, have small breasts, and have no health problems.
What is the preferred mode of breast reconstruction after radiation therapy?
Reconstructive surgeons agree that breast reconstruction results after radiation therapy tend to be better when the patient’s own (autologous) tissue is used. However, in some situations implants may be the preferred option for reconstruction, or the only choice.
What percentage of breast cancer patients get implants?
Approximately 20% of breast implants are used for reconstruction in breast cancer patients following mastectomy [1]. In this population, however, the use of breast implants, while increasing, has not been well documented [5].
What type breast cancer has the highest recurrence rate?
Research suggests that estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is more likely to come back more than five years after diagnosis.
What is the most common complication after implant reconstruction?
The most common problem with breast implants is capsular contracture. A scar (or capsule) can form around the soft implant. As it tightens, it can start to squeeze the implant, making the breast feel hard and look distorted. Capsular contracture can be treated.
How long do breast implants last after reconstruction?
Myth #2: Once an implant is in, it’s a lifelong device. One can expect your implant to last approximately 10 to 15 years. Since a woman may not always feel or see when a rupture in her implants has occurred, magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) may be needed every few years to monitor for any sign of trouble.
What size implants should I get after mastectomy?
There may be a role for implants larger than 800 mL for patients undergoing post-mastectomy breast reconstruction in the United States. The FDA has recently approved ATHENA, a clinical trial that will allow patients to select breast implants with larger volumes ranging from 800 to 1445 mL for breast reconstruction.
How long should you wait to have reconstruction after radiation?
The breast reconstruction is usually completed about 4 to 6 months after radiation.
Can I get breast implants if I had radiation?
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recognizes that implant-based breast reconstruction is possible for women who have had radiation treatment; however they caution that radiation prior to breast implants may cause additional complications. Dr.
How long do expanders stay in before implants?
If you are having the expander left in, your surgeon inflates it until it is slightly larger than your natural size. They leave it for 2 to 3 months. Then the surgeon deflates it to the right size by removing some of the saline. This gives your breast a natural droop.
Can breast cancer come back under implant?
Textured Implants May Be Linked to Breast Cancer Recurrence, Study Suggests. A small study found that women who had textured implants for reconstruction after breast cancer surgery had a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of the breast cancer coming back. Oct 20, 2020.
How long do implants last after mastectomy?
Myth #2: Once an implant is in, it’s a lifelong device. There is a lifespan for breast implants; typically, 10 to 15 years. Implant rupture rates are approximately one percent per year but go up after 10 years. One can expect your implant to last approximately 10 to 15 years.
What is breast reconstruction?
Many women who have a mastectomy—surgery to remove an entire breast to treat or prevent breast cancer—have the option of having the shape of the re…
How do surgeons use implants to reconstruct a woman’s breast?
Implants are inserted underneath the skin or chest muscle following the mastectomy. (Most mastectomies are performed using a technique called skin-…
How do surgeons use tissue from a woman’s own body to reconstruct the breast?
In autologous tissue reconstruction, a piece of tissue containing skin, fat, blood vessels, and sometimes muscle is taken from elsewhere in a wom…
How do surgeons reconstruct the nipple and areola?
After the chest heals from reconstruction surgery and the position of the breast mound on the chest wall has had time to stabilize, a surgeon can r…
What factors can affect the timing of breast reconstruction?
One factor that can affect the timing of breast reconstruction is whether a woman will need radiation therapy . Radiation therapy can sometimes ca…
What factors can affect the choice of breast reconstruction method?
Several factors can influence the type of reconstructive surgery a woman chooses. These include the size and shape of the breast that is being re…
Will health insurance pay for breast reconstruction?
The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA) is a federal law that requires group health plans and health insurance companies that offe…
What type of follow-up care and rehabilitation is needed after breast reconstruction?
Any type of reconstruction increases the number of side effects a woman may experience compared with those after a mastectomy alone. A woman’s me…
Does breast reconstruction affect the ability to check for breast cancer recurrence?
Studies have shown that breast reconstruction does not increase the chances of breast cancer coming back or make it harder to check for recurrence…
What Types of Breast Reconstruction Surgeries Are Available?
Breast Reconstruction Surgery has two main categories, implant reconstruction and autologous, or “flap” reconstruction. Implant reconstruction uses a saline or silicone implant to restore the breast’s shape and volume after a mastectomy. Flap reconstruction utilizes tissue from another area of your body to recreate the form of your breast. In some cases, a Plastic Surgeon will incorporate both of these options during a reconstruction.
How long does it take to recover from a syringe surgery?
Most women can resume normal daily activities around 6-8 weeks, but it may take over a year before you feel completely recovered.
How does breast reconstruction work?
“With Implant Breast Reconstruction Surgery, a saline or silicone-filled breast implant is inserted either beneath or in front of the pectoral muscle ,” says Dr. Stewart. “The implant will be supported by an internal bra built by using a cellular dermal matrix. This is either cadaver skin or porcine skin that has been processed and sterilized so that your body does not reject it. This matrix helps support the implant and protect the skin of the breast, which may be compromised and fragile after mastectomy.”
How common is breast cancer?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ), breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States after skin cancer. Each year, over 250,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer, roughly 1 in 8 women. Almost half of these women choose to have mastectomy surgery. Of these women, about 40 percent elect to have breast reconstruction surgery following their mastectomy (Federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality). When appropriate, Implant Breast Reconstruction Surgery can help restore the shape of a woman’s breast and elevate her level of confidence as she embraces life after breast cancer.
What is the tissue used to rebuild breasts?
In autologous tissue reconstruction, a piece of tissue containing skin, fat, blood vessels, and sometimes muscle is taken from elsewhere in a woman’s body and used to rebuild the breast. This piece of tissue is called a flap. Different sites in the body can provide flaps for breast reconstruction.
What is autologous breast reconstruction?
Autologous tissue breast reconstruction is usually reserved for after radiation therapy, so that the breast and chest wall tissue damaged by radiation can be replaced with healthy tissue from elsewhere in the body. Another factor is the type of breast cancer.
What is the first stage of mastectomy?
In the first stage, the surgeon places a device, called a tissue expander, under the skin that is left after the mastectomy or under the chest muscle ( 1, 2). The expander is slowly filled with saline during periodic visits to the doctor after surgery.
What is a DIEP flap?
DIEP flap: Tissue comes from the abdomen and contains only skin, blood vessels, and fat, without the underlying muscle. This type of flap is a free flap.
What is the procedure called when breasts are reshaped?
This type of breast-conserving surgery, called oncoplastic surgery, may use local tissue rearrangement, reconstruction through breast reduction surgery, or transfer of tissue flaps.
Why do breast reconstructions not need to be reconnected?
Because the blood supply to the tissue used for reconstruction is left intact, blood vessels do not need to be reconnected once the tissue is moved. With free flaps, the tissue is cut free from its blood supply. It must be attached to new blood vessels in the breast area, using a technique called microsurgery.
Where do flaps come from?
Flaps used for breast reconstruction most often come from the abdomen or back. However, they can also be taken from the thigh or buttocks. Depending on their source, flaps can be pedicled or free. With a pedicled flap, the tissue and attached blood vessels are moved together through the body to the breast area.
How does breast cancer affect the reconstruction process?
The stage of your breast cancer affects your treatment options, and treatment options affect the reconstruction process and outcome. Having chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery may harm or change the reconstruction. Patients who receive radiation after an implant often end up with tightness around the implant—an expected complication known as capsular contracture. When this happens, the surgeon has to remove the implant and replace it with non-radiated tissue. This is a more complex form of reconstruction that’s not widely offered.
What are the two types of breast reconstruction after mastectomy?
The two primary categories of breast reconstruction after mastectomy are implant-based reconstruction and autologous reconstruction. For each category, surgeons may use a variety of specific techniques to perform the reconstruction.
Why are breast implants not safe?
Many women fear breast implants aren’t safe because of issues in the 1990s with silicone implant leakage and rupture.
Why are women unhappy with breast reconstruction?
Many women end up living with reconstruction they aren’t happy with because they don’t know that options are available to help them. But our team of plastic surgeons is experienced in many reconstructive techniques that may be used to repair unsatisfactory reconstructions.
What is autologous reconstruction?
Autologous reconstruction is a type of reconstruction using the patient’s own tissue, taken from somewhere else on her body, and transplanting it to create a new breast. It’s also referred to as “flap reconstruction.” The most common donor site (or flap) is the lower tummy, but there may be alternative sites, such as the inner thigh or buttocks.
What is implant based reconstruction?
Implant-based reconstruction uses various surgical techniques to replace a breast form created from saline or silicone gel. This process may be performed immediately after a mastectomy, or it may be delayed until a later time.
Why do people come to CTCA?
Cancer patients in general come to CTCA for a second opinion and treatment because we provide expert, personalized cancer care with an integrative, patient-centered approach. We only treat cancer at CTCA, and our providers work together to create a plan based on each patient’s personal needs and goals.
What is the procedure called when you have a breast reshape?
Some doctors are addressing this problem by combining cancer surgery and plastic surgery techniques, known as oncoplastic surgery. This typically reshapes the breast at the time of the initial surgery, such as doing a partial breast reconstruction after breast-conserving surgery or a full reconstruction after mastectomy.
How to choose a surgeon for reconstructive surgery?
Your surgeon will review your medical history and overall health, and will explain which reconstructive options might be best for you based on your age, health, body type, lifestyle, goals, and other factors. Talk with your surgeon openly about your preferences. Be sure to voice any concerns and priorities you have for the reconstruction, and find a surgeon you feel comfortable with. Your surgeon should explain the limits, risks, and benefits of each option.
What is breast reconstruction?
Breast Reconstruction Using Your Own Body Tissues (Flap Procedures) Reconstructing the Nipple and Areola After Breast Surgery. Sometimes the implant and flap procedures are used in combination to reconstruct a breast.
What are the different types of breast reconstruction?
These women may be candidates for different types of breast reconstruction to reshape the breast including: 1 Smaller implants 2 Fat grafting 3 Breast reduction 4 Breast lift 5 Revision of scar 6 Smaller tissue flaps
Do breast reconstructions need to be done?
Most women who have breast conservation surgery (lumpectomy or partial mastectomy) do not need breast reconstruction. However, some women might end up having a breast deformity as a result of the cancer surgery; for example, dimpling caused by removing a large tumor from a small breast. Some doctors are addressing this problem by combining cancer surgery and plastic surgery techniques, known as oncoplastic surgery. This typically reshapes the breast at the time of the initial surgery, such as doing a partial breast reconstruction after breast-conserving surgery or a full reconstruction after mastectomy.
Can thin women have breast reconstruction?
The amount of tissue available (for example, very thin women may not have enough extra tummy tissue to use this area for breast reconstruction)
What is breast reconstruction?
Breast Reconstruction. Breast reconstruction can help restore the look of the breast after a mastectomy. The surgery is done by a plastic surgeon. Although most breast reconstruction is done in women, men may get reconstruction if they wish.
Which is the least invasive breast reconstruction procedure?
Inserting a breast implant is the least invasive reconstruction procedure.
Why is my breast implant distorted?
Some of the chest muscle is cut during the procedure to place the implant underneath. When women use and contract the chest muscle (pectoralis major muscle), the subpectoral implant breast reconstruction can look distorted (because the implant is below the chest muscle).
What are the different types of breast implants?
There are 2 basic types of breast implants: saline and silicone. For both saline and silicone implants, the outer cover of the implant (also called the implant shell) is made of a solid form of silicone. Implants differ in the substance used to fill the shell.
How to contact Komen Breast Care?
If you or a loved one needs information or resources about clinical trials, call the Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877- 465- 6636) or email clinicaltrialinfo@komen.org.
What is the procedure to remove a large muscle in the back along with skin and underlying fatty tissue?
The latissimus dorsi muscle flap procedure removes a large muscle in the back along with skin and underlying fatty tissue. It uses these tissues to reconstruct the breast [ 169 ].
What are the factors that affect breast reconstruction?
Your body shape and anatomy may affect the types of breast reconstruction likely to give you the best results.
What Is the Best Technique for Breast Reconstruction?
Often, patients are curious about which breast reconstruction technique is the best.
What Are My Potential Reconstruction Options?
Implant reconstruction is the most common option and is performed similarly to the well-known breast augmentation surgery, where synthetic implants are inserted to add breast volume and shape.