BREAST RECONSTRUCTION SURGERY

The reason for breast reconstruction surgery is if a MASTECTOMY has been performed as part of cancer treatment. The timing of a reconstruction operation varies, with some specialists willing to perform the surgery immediately after removal of the cancerous breast. However, this is unlikely to be considered unless the surgeon is sure that the cancer has been caught at an early stage and that removal of part or all of the breast is the only treatment that is going to be required.

Many specialists advise waiting to make sure that surgery has eliminated the cancer because if radiotherapy or chemotherapy were subsequently found to be necessary, they would adversely affect the success of reconstructive surgery.
   A further point is that a woman who is initially horrified at the idea of loosing a breast may find that she handles the reality of a mastectomy much better than she believed possible. As with any elective surgery, it is better to make a considered, reflective decision as to whether one wishes to proceed or not rather than rush in and regret one’s haste at a larger stage. For it is important to remember that although reconstructive surgery can build a substitute breast, it can never look or feel the same to the woman as the one which she has lost. A reconstructed breast removes the necessity of bothering to pad out a bra with a prosthesis and it will look normal beneath clothing. However, as with most surgery, there is a period of soreness and discomfort and potential.Disappointment may lie ahead for any woman who is not fully prepared. Having said this, the surgery may transform what has been a bad experience, with many women finding that their confidence is restored and that they then have the courage to get on with life after breast cancer.

  The type of reconstructive surgery depends upon the extent of the original mastectomy. If sufficient breast tissue and skin are left, a silicone implant may suffice. Alternatively, a saline-filled implant may be used to expand the existing tissue before a permanent one in installed. The implants used are the same as those inserted for inserted for cosmetic surgery. Each consists of a silicone bag which is hemispherical in shape and filled either gel or saline. Once in a place, the implant behaves like normal tissue, i.e. it flattens when the woman lies down and feels natural when felt through the skin. Since there have been worrying health concerns attached to the use of earlier implants, considerable research has been directed towards producing types that are safe. However, safety remains a factor to be discussed by any woman considering having reconstructive surgery.

  In some cases, where mastectomy has had to be radical and extensive, there is not enough skin or muscle left to support an implant. It then becomes necessary to take skin and muscle from the back or abdomen to use as a self-graft at the breast site, in order to eventually rebuild the breast with an implant. This is quite complicated surgery which can be painful during the recovery period and there is a risk of failure of the graft, which may fail to flourish in its new site.

 A nipple can also be created, using skin from the inner thigh to produce an areola and tissue from the healthy nipple or an ear lobe to make the nipple itself.

Once again, there is soreness initially while the surgical sites heal and for many women, who have already had extensive procedures, this is one operation too many, especially since it produces only an approximate result. Realistic-looking, synthetic nipples are available which simply stick on to the skin and many women prefer to use one of these or not to bother at all.