Types of Breast Reconstruction

More than 200,000 women every year in the United States get breast cancer. For a lot of women, having to go through breast cancer surgery to remove either a small part of even the whole breast is a thought that's too terrifying for words. Though thinking about it might overwhelm you emotionally, you have to face facts and find out what options you have. There are now solutions in the form of breast reconstruction so you don't have to carry this painful reminder that you've had breast cancer.

One type of breast reconstruction that you might consider is having breast implants put in immediately after a mastectomy. If you go with this option, the breast implant is lodged behind the chest's pectoral muscle. Your surgeon will probably use a permanent implant, which would depend on the breast skin quality following the mastectomy and how large the implant is going to be. Once you're on your way to full recovery, which might be after a month or two after the surgery, your doctor may suggest a secondary procedure to adjust the contour of your breast shape. This additional procedure is simply done to adjust breast symmetry and can be performed on an outpatient basis.

You can also choose to have your reconstruction done using the staged approach. This can start as soon as the mastectomy is completed, or they can delay the procedure if you need a chance to consider your options. With this approach, they will install a device to expand the tissue between the chest wall and pectoral muscle. This will act as a space saver/maker where a permanent implant can eventually be placed. After some time has passed, the process will begin where a doctor will inject saline into the expansion device to expand the area. This is done using a needle and a fill-port in the device. This procedure can take several months, and the patient will have the expansion exchanged with a permanent implant at the end.

There is a third option in the TRAM flap procedure. With this procedure, tissue is removed from the abdomen and moved up to the chest in order to create new breast tissues. This will create a more natural feeling breast as you are using your own natural tissue, and you may even achieve better symmetry using this approach. There are a few disadvantages however, one of which is a scar that can run across your entire abdomen from hip to hip. You may also experience weaknesses in your abdominal wall, bulges or even a hernia.

Whichever method you choose for breast reconstruction, make sure you have weighed all of your options against each other with a qualified physician and are comfortable in the decision you make following breast cancer surgery.