What Are The Options For Breast Reconstruction Surgery?

It is now standard practice to offer all women who are going to surgery to remove breast cancer (known as a mastectomy) breast reconstruction as part of their treatment and recovery process. There are now a range of possible options for reconstructive breast surgery, and your surgeon will discuss which ones might be suitable for you.

When is breast reconstruction needed?

Breast reconstruction is an option for all patients who are planned to undergo or have already undergone a mastectomy. Mastectomy is often recommended to women who have cancer cells in multiple areas of one or both breasts, a large amount of pre-cancerous cells are present, or if a large tumour is found in the breast.

 Some women have elective mastectomies, because one breast has already been removed, and they opt to have the second removed as a preventive measure, to reduce the risk of a new cancer.

 In other cases, cancer-free women may have elective surgery because there is a high probability they will develop breast cancer, usually if there is a history of it in their family, if a close relative, such as a mother or sister, has been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past. In other cases, it may be because they have other high-risk factors such as positive BRCA or other breast cancer genes.

 It is now standard practice to offer breast reconstruction surgery to all women who are undergoing a mastectomy as immediate reconstruction done at the same time as the mastectomy or in a delayed setting after the initial mastectomy.

 The aim of breast reconstruction surgery is to create a new breast shape which resembles the other breast a closely as possible or recreates both breasts if a double mastectomy has been carried out.

What are the different types of breast reconstruction?

 There are two main types of breast reconstruction: using tissue from another part of the body to make a new breast, or by using implants to recreate the original size and shape of the breast. Very rarely, a combination of these two methods can be used. Your surgeon will discuss with you which might be the most suitable option.

 When using your own tissue, it is generally taken from an area of the back, or from the abdominal area. Back tissue (called extended latissimus dorsi or ELD flap) reconstruction is a simpler procedure than abdominal flap but has the disadvantage of shoulder stiffness and discomfort in up to 10% of patients.  The Abdominal (DIEP flap) is a more complex surgery involving the use of a surgical microscope to reconnect the blood vessels. It gives the best long-term results but has the main disadvantage of up to 3% failure risk immediately after the surgery. Recovery times are longer than for implants, but the result can be a more natural look and feel to the reconstructed breast and a more durable long-term result.

 The right solution for you may depend on your general level of health and fitness, attitude to risk, personal preference such as the overall look a feel of the final result, and how concerned you are about scarring.  If there is a large volume of tissue and skin required to make a new breast, this may limit your options.

If you would like some more information about Diep flap surgery in Lincolnshire, please get in touch today.