There are several options to reconstruct the breast following mastectomy. Depending upon the degree of pre-operative ptosis of the breast, the patient may be a candidate for a nipple sparing mastectomy. A nipple sparing mastectomy may be performed through an inframamary incision. For a DIEP flap reconstruction, the operative surgeon often needs access to blood vessels in the chest, usually…
It is common for patients to present with breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ and to also have implants in place at the time of diagnosis. Depending upon the stage of breast cancer and the size of the breast, the patient may choose to undergo lumpectomy. Often, a mastopexy pattern can be utilized to remove the breast cancer or…
There can be different ways in which the physician and patient can manage breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast. The patient and oncologic surgeon or team of physicians may choose lumpectomy, or, conversely they may choose mastectomy. If a patient chooses a lumpectomy, the patient and reconstructive team can often reconstruct the breast with the patient’s…
There are several ways to reconstruct a breast following mastectomy. One option is to use tissue expanders and implants (saline or silicone) and the other option is to use ones own body tissue or what is often called autologous reconstruction. One of the most commonly used sites for autologous reconstruction is the lower abdomen. The lower abdomen is often…
Lumpectomy Defects of the breast can be treated with oncoplastic reconstructive techniques to improve contour following resection. The same principles used for mastopexy and reduction techniques can be used to improve upon the appearance of the breast following the resection of a breast tumor. The recovery following these procedures tends to be standard. The first week following surgery consists of…
The deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap is an option for breast reconstruction in those patients who do not want to undergo reconstruction with breast implants. There are several reasons why patients do not want to undergo reconstruction with breast implants and would prefer to undergo reconstruction with their own body tissue. Reconstruction of the breast with one’s own body…
Central breast tumors can be common. Central breast tumors are those tumors that lie directly behind or in close proximity to the nipple areola complex. Patients often have questions or concerns regarding the appearance of the breast mound after the nipple areola complex has been removed. What determines when the nipple areola complex will be removed is how close the…
Breast cancer is common. In patients who have relatively larger breasts and smaller tumors, there may be several different options to treat the breast cancer from an oncologic perspective and there may be different options for reconstruction. Patients who are candidates for breast conservation therapy tend to be patients who have smaller tumors relative to the overall size of the…
Patients who undergo lumpectomy have different options for breast reconstruction. In patients who have relatively larger breasts, smaller tumors, and who have breast ptotis may be able to have their tumor excised with a lumpectomy and their breast reconstructed with the same patterns that we use for a cosmetic mastopexy or breast reduction. It is quite common for patients to…
Autologous breast reconstruction is when the body’s own tissue is used to reconstruct the breast. There are several different parts of the body that serves as donor sites for breast reconstruction. Common areas of donor site locations include the abdomen, the back, and the gluteal region. When the breast is ptotic the native nipple areola complex can not be utilized…
