Bilateral Mastectomy Expander-Implant Breast Reconstruction.

Breast cancer is common among women with approximately 1 in 9 women developing invasive breast cancer in the United States. When a patient chooses to undergo mastectomy, the patient may also choose to undergo mastectomy on the contralateral or opposite side of the breast that has breast cancer. This choice can be made because of a genetic predisposition to breast cancer, a cancer in the opposite breast, or the patient may have concerns about developing a cancer in that breast because of family history or multiple episodes of suspicious mammogram findings. When choosing to undergo bilateral mastectomy, it is important for patients to be as healthy as they possibly can prior to the operation. While there may be a limited time a patient has prior to mastectomy, we find that a diet high in protein can facilitate healing. In general patients should try to consume 1-2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight to ensure adequate healing and optimize their results. The photograph shows before and after results of a bilateral mastectomy and expander-implant breast reconstruction. The superior peri-areolar incision and lateral extension can help raise the nipple areola complex into a more elevated position and can help correct any asymmetry of the breast.