BREAST RECONSTRUCTION

Women who have surgery to treat their breast cancer may choose breast reconstruction surgery. This is  to rebuild the shape and look of the breast. Consult your surgeon or plastic surgeon before undergoing any surgical procedure.

Women might choose breast reconstruction for many personal reasons. But the bottomline is to make them happier with their bodies and how they feel about themselves. However, there are some important things to think about:

• You might have a choice between having breast reconstruction at the same time as the mastectomy(immediate reconstruction) or at a later time (delayed reconstruction).
• Women may not decide about breast reconstruction not after their cancer has been treated.
• You might not want to have any more surgery than is absolutely required.
• Not all reconstructive surgery is a total success. The result might not look like you’d hoped.
• The cancer surgery and reconstruction surgery will leave scars on the breast and any areas where tissue was moved to create the new breast mound.
• A rebuilt breast will not have the same sensation and feeling as the natural breast. Any flap donor sites might also lose some sensation. Later on, the skin can become more sensitive, but it won’t feel the same as it did before the surgery.
• You may have extra concerns if you tend to bleed or scar more than most people.
• Breast skin or flaps might not survive after reconstructive surgery. Healing is delayed and more surgery is often needed to fix the problem if it happens.
• Previous surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy can affect the healing process. Other factors that can affect healing are smoking, diabetes, and some medicines.
• Breast reconstruction may not be done if you smoke or if you have other health problems. It’s best to quit smoking at least 2 months before reconstructive surgery to allow for better healing. You might not be able to have reconstruction at all if you are obese, too thin, or have blood circulation problems.
• Surgeon may suggest surgery to reshape the other breast to match the reconstructed breast. This could include reducing or enlarging its size, or even surgically lifting the breast.
• You have to delay breast reconstruction if you are going to be under a radiation treatment. It can cause problems after surgery and lower the chances of success.

Knowing your reconstruction options before surgery can help you prepare with a more realistic outlook expectations for the outcomes.

Can breast reconstruction hide cancer or make it come back?

According to the studies, reconstruction does not make breast cancer come back. If the cancer does come back, reconstructed breasts should not cause problems with chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Reconstruction rarely hides a return of breast cancer, therefore you should not consider this a big risk when deciding to have breast reconstruction.

Choosing which type of breast reconstruction to have

There are factors that your doctor have to consider before you undergo breast reconstruction surgery. This include:

• Your overall health (including issues that might affect your healing, such as smoking or certain health conditions)
• The size and location of your breast cancer
• Your breast size
• The extent of your breast cancer surgery
• Whether you will need treatments other than surgery for your cancer
• The amount of tissue available (for example, very thin women may not have enough extra tummy tissue to use this area for breast reconstruction)
• Whether you want reconstructive surgery on one or both breasts
• Your desire to match the look of the other breast
• Your insurance coverage and related costs for the unaffected breast
• How quickly you want to be able to recover from surgery
• Your willingness to have potentially more than one surgery as part of the reconstruction
• The effects that different types of reconstructive surgery might have on other parts of your body

Your doctor will decide 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. Find a surgeon that you feel comfortable with. He or she should also explain the limits, risks, and benefits of each option.

Types of breast reconstruction procedures

The reconstruction process sometimes means more than one operation and there are several types of reconstructive surgery available. Make sure you are well-informed and have a plenty of time to think about it so you can make the best decision for you.

Two main types of operations can be done to reconstruct the shape of your breast or breasts:

• Breast implants(using silicone or saline inserts)
• Tissue flap procedures(using your own body tissues)

Sometimes a combination of the two procedure is used to get the best result. In addition, nipple and areola reconstruction procedures can be done to help make the reconstructed breast look like an original one.