October is breast cancer awareness month. Some patients can undergo successful treatment of their breast cancer with lumpectomy and oncoplastic reconstruction of their lumpectomy defect. The same patterns that are used to lift the breast can be used to reconstruct the lumpectomy defect. When the tumor lies outside of the standard breast lift skin pattern, the skin patten can be…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer reconstruction can occur in a delayed fashion-meaning at a time remote since the date of mastectomy. When the skin of the breast has been radiated or if it is significantly scared from infection, the breast can often be reconstructed with skin and fat from the abdomen. This operation is called DIEP flap…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer treatment and reconstruction is extremely challenging. Mastectomy reconstruction can be performed with DIEP flaps. One of the more common questions that patients ask regarding flap reconstruction, is when do you use the skin from the abdomen and when do you use the skin that is already covering the breast. The simple answer…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The treatment of breast cancer and its reconstruction is extremely challenging. Patients often need chemotherapy and radiation as a part of their therapy. Chemotherapy and radiation can make wound healing challenging When skin has been previously radiated, it makes it very challenging to eradicate infection. In these scenarios we use vascularized skin and subcutaneous…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer can be treated with lumpectomy or with mastectomy. Breast reconstruction is challenging. When the breast is reconstructed with tissue expanders and implants, there are two options of expander placement. Pre-pectoral (in front of the muscle) and sub pectoral (behind the muscle). Either plane is used today. In some instances, the tissue expander…
It is important for patients to understand that often in the most hostile soft tissue environments there may still be possibilities for breast cancer reconstruction. With adequate interval decolonization of mastectomy pockets, time, appropriate nutrition, appropriate tissue expander or implant size selection, and hyperbaric oxygen we can often improve upon a patients reconstruction. Breast cancer reconstruction is a challenging field…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer and breast cancer reconstruction can be challenging to treat, reconstruct, and manage. There are however, many different options available to patients to reconstruct the breast. The mastectomy operation in itself can significantly devascularize the skin of the chest wall. Placing tissue expanders at the time of mastectomy can often lead to cellulitis…
