Breast Reconstruction Surgery

Breast reconstruction techniques are intended to improve or restore the appearance of the breast following breast cancer treatment. Most often, breast reconstruction involves a series of procedures that take place over time. In the case of mastectomy, reconstruction can begin at the time of the initial breast removal, or on a delayed basis after the mastectomy surgical site has fully healed and matured.

There are two commonly performed techniques for reconstruction of a breast following mastectomy:

• Tissue expansion
  A common breast reconstruction technique combines skin expansion and subsequent insertion of an implant.
• Flap reconstruction
  An alternative approach to implant reconstruction involves the creation of a flap using tissue taken from other parts of the body.

Usually, the initial reconstructive operation is the most complex. Follow-up surgery may be required to replace a tissue expander with an implant or to reconstruct the nipple and the areola. Surgery to enlarge, reduce, or lift the opposite natural breast to match the reconstructed breast may also be performed.