Breast Reconstruction

Breast reconstruction following the traumatic experience of breast removal (mastectomy) due to cancer or similarly threatening disease is one of today's most rewarding plastic surgery applications.

A number of procedures can be performed either immediately after a mastectomy or after a period of time has passed. The timing and type of the reconstruction is best determined by taking into consideration the desires of the patient and the surgical judgment of a plastic surgeon and the surgeon performing the mastectomy.

The most common technique combines tissue expansion and the subsequent insertion of an implant. The expander is positioned under the skin and is gradually filled with a saline solution, which incrementally stretches the skin to create the necessary pocket to accept the implant.

An alternative approach, flap reconstruction, involves the creation of a skin flap taken from other parts of the body, such as the back, abdomen or buttocks. The flap is composed of skin and underlying tissue and muscle and provides the pocket for the implant.

Depending on the magnitude of the surgery, patients can expect to stay in the hospital for two to five days and the recovery period can extend to several weeks.