Sculpting Resilience: The Art of Post-Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction

Second only to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. In fact, it accounts for around 30 percent of new cancers diagnosed in women every year. Receiving this diagnosis can be life-altering for many women as they face the possible loss of their breasts. When diagnosed, treatment plans often include surgery to remove the cancer. 

Surgeons can do this through a lumpectomy that removes the cancer alone or through a mastectomy, which removes the cancer and the entire breast tissue of one or both breasts. Post-mastectomy breast restoration and reconstruction offers women a chance to get back their breasts and body contours.    

What Is Breast Reconstruction? 

Breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure performed to recreate a single breast or breasts after a mastectomy. When a person undergoes a mastectomy (removal of one or both breasts due to breast cancer or other medical reasons), breast reconstruction can help restore the appearance of the breast. The decision to choose breast reconstruction is a very personal one and it is important to discuss your options with your oncologist as well as a reconstructive surgeon before you have your mastectomy. 

Different Types of Reconstruction Procedures

Facing a breast cancer diagnosis and the loss of your breasts can be an overwhelming and emotional time. Finding a surgeon like Dr. Chang and Dr. Wang who understands how important breast restoration can be for a woman facing a mastectomy is an important part of your treatment journey. They will work with you and your oncologist to explore the many different reconstruction options available for you and help create a treatment plan that caters to your unique needs and desires. Here we look at some of the common breast reconstruction options available. 

Breast Reconstruction with Implants

Breast reconstruction with implants is similar to a traditional breast augmentation that places silicone or saline implants into the chest wall to increase or reconstruct breast volume. After a mastectomy, women have two options for reconstruction with implants. 

• Staged reconstruction, designed for women looking for larger breasts, begins immediately after a mastectomy where a surgeon places a tissue expander in the chest wall. Every few weeks, saline is injected into the expander, creating an eventual pocket for a traditional breast implant placement. 
• Direct-to-implant, or one-stage reconstruction, is an option designed for women with small to moderate breast size implants. In this procedure, a dermal matrix is placed to act like a pocket, supporting implant placement similar to sling. 

Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction

Prepectoral breast reconstruction is another option that utilizes traditional breast implants. However, unlike the options above, the prepectoral breast reconstruction offers a new technique that places the implants over the pectoralis muscle and held in place with a collagen biologic mesh. In many cases, fat grafting is also used to help stabilize the breast and promote more natural body contouring. 

Autologous Flap Breast Reconstruction

Autologous flap is a form of breast reconstruction that uses natural skin and tissue from your abdominal area, back, and buttocks to build and recreate the shape of the breast. While this option creates soft, natural-feeling breasts, the use of other tissue means multiple surgical sites which can contribute to a longer and more uncomfortable recovery period. 

Oncoplastic Breast Reconstruction

For women looking for an immediate reconstruction option, oncoplastic breast reconstruction may be worth discussing with your oncologist. This option combines cancer removal surgery with breast reconstruction. This allows for wider excisions which contributes to the reduction of cancer recurrence while also helping to save more of your natural breast tissue. This allows for only one surgery and one recovery period and you spend no time without the appearance of natural breasts. 

Nipple and Areola Reconstruction

After mastectomy, not only are you looking to replace breast volume and appearance, but you are also looking to restore your nipple and areola. Current 3D tattooing techniques are able to create a very lifelike, raised appearing nipple without further surgery. If surgery for nipple creation is still desired, this can be performed at a later date, sometimes combined with fat grafting.

Nipple reconstruction utilizes your tissue while an areola is created with tattooing. Nipple reconstruction typically occurs 8 to 12 weeks post-breast reconstruction, with areola tattooing taking place 6 weeks later. 

Breast Implant Plane Exchange

If you have already undergone implant restoration but are experiencing discomfort or implant deformity, breast implant plane exchange, also known as “pocket conversion,” can help relocate the breast implant above the pectoralis muscle, resulting in a more natural appearance and increased comfort. 

A cancer diagnosis is life-altering in so many ways and, for women, the loss of the breast or breasts can often be more traumatizing. At Columbia Aesthetic, we understand the impact that reconstructive surgery has on our patients and we specialize in delivering beautiful and natural breasts after a mastectomy. To learn more about your breast reconstruction options,  call 410-740-9330 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Chang or Dr. Wang.