Immediate Breast Reconstruction

WHAT IS IMMEDIATE BREAST RECONSTRUCTION

If your surgeons advise that you are suitable for an immediate breast reconstruction, it will occur during your mastectomy procedure. The surgeon will begin reconstructing your breasts after they have removed all necessary tissues. Women have four primary options when considering immediate breast reconstruction — autologous breast reconstruction, one-stage and two-stage breast reconstruction as well as breast reconstruction with a dual-function implant.

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Weighing Up Reconstruction Option

Women requiring a mastectomy have four primary breast reconstruction options available to them.

AUTOLOGOUS BREAST RECONSTRUCTION OR “FLAP” BREAST RECONSTRUCTION

Women can choose to have breast reconstruction without an implant in a procedure called autologous or “flap” breast reconstruction. Using this surgical option, the breast reconstruction surgeon will instead transplant tissue from another part of the body — such as the belly, back or thigh — to the breast area to restore fullness. An implant may supplement the tissue graft depending on the final appearance the patient desires.

TWO-STAGE IMMEDIATE RECONSTRUCTION

During a two-stage immediate reconstruction, the plastic surgeon will insert a tissue expander into the breast pocket to stretch the breast tissue and encourage tissue growth, replacing tissue which was lost during the mastectomy. The surgeon will then replace the tissue expander with an appropriate implant after about two to three months. This technique helps the surgeon to produce the best possible breast shape for their patient.

ONE-STAGE IMMEDIATE RECONSTRUCTION

During a one-stage immediate breast reconstruction, the breast reconstruction surgeon will insert a breast implant into the breast pocket once the general surgeon has removed all necessary breast tissue. This is an option for women who will not have had their nipple removed during their mastectomy.

IMMEDIATE BREAST RECONSTRUCTION W ITH DUAL-FUNCTION IMPLANT

Another option women have is immediate breast reconstruction with a dual-function implant — a combination tissue expander and breast implant. A dual-function implant allows the surgeon to expand the breast tissue without having to remove the tissue expander later since the expander will also serve as the final implant after expansion.

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ADVANTAGES IN IMMEDIATE BREAST
RECONSTRUCTION

  • After surgery, a woman will have a breast mound or have taken the first initial steps towards one.
  • The surgery eases the psychological difficulty of having a mastectomy by concurrently beginning the process of breast restoration.
  • Overall, patients who have an immediate reconstruction generally spend less time in hospital.
  • One-stage breast implant breast reconstruction may be an option because breast skin is preserved and has not yet contracted or lost its shape as in a delayed procedure.

POTENTIAL DRAW BACKS OF IMMEDIATE BREAST RECONSTRUCTION

  • Patients may have a longer initial operation since they will have two procedures performed during their surgical visit instead of one.
  • Surgeon will advise when women will experience a higher risk of complications. The surgeon will advise what, if any, issues may arise.
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IS IMMEDIATE RECONSTRUCTION RIGHT FOR YOU

Women may have an immediate breast reconstruction surgery if they meet certain criteria.

  • If a partial mastectomy leaves enough skin, women may qualify for a one-stage procedure.
  • If a woman has a complete mastectomy, which removes more skin, she may still qualify for a two-stage procedure.

A woman’s breast reconstruction surgeon will advise whether she qualifies for an immediate breast reconstruction surgery and which variant will best meet her needs.

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FIND A SURGEON

Make The Right Choice For You

BREAST SURGEON

A qualified general surgeon focused on breast surgery. Highly trained in oncoplastic techniques including mastectomy and implant based breast reconstruction.

Find A Breast Surgeon

PLASTIC RECONSTRUCTION SURGEON

A qualified surgeon that has specialized in plastic reconstructive surgery that is trained in microsurgery to be able to perform flap reconstruction through to direct to implant reconstruction.

Find A Plastic Surgeon

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