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…
In certain patients with breast cancer, they may be a candidate for a lumpectomy with oncoplastic reconstruction and intra-operative radiation therapy. In patients with smaller tumors and certain biologic characteristics radiation can be undertaken at the time of lumpectomy during the operation. This can have fewer deleterious effects on the breast tissue, skin, and the overall aesthetic result. Oncoplastic reconstruction…
Patients with breast cancer can undergo lumpectomy and oncoplastic reconstruction of their lumpectomy defects. Depending upon the size of a cancer the patient can undergo intra-operative radiation therapy at the time of the lumpectomy. Breast implants can be removed at the time of the operation. The satisfaction rate with oncoplastic reconstruction of lumpectomy defects is high.
There are many different ways to reconstruct the breast following lumpectomy. Oncoplastic reconstruction of lumpectomy defects can provide excellent exposure for the oncologic breast surgeon to perform a lumpectomy and it can also allow the breast to be reconstructed in an aesthetic fashion. The mastopexy or breast lift component of the reconstruction can make a more compact target for radiation…
DIEP flap reconstruction involves moving the lower abdominal tissue to the chest to reconstruct either one or both breasts. The healing process for DIEP flaps, as any other surgery, can take up to one year to 18 months or more to completely soften up and heal. Typical strenuous activity and weightlifting restrictions are on the order of 6 weeks. For…
Tumors of the upper outer quadrant of the breast and with certain characteristics can be excised with lumpectomy, intra-operative radiation therapy, and oncoplastic reconstruction of the lumpectomy defect. In general, tumors that are amenable to lumpectomy and IORT tend to be less than 3 cm, estrogen receptor positive, unifocal, and have negative lymph node status. When a breast undergoes a…
Breast reconstruction for mastectomy involves the healing of mastectomy incisions and often additional incisions from abdominal donor sites. Patients will often ask what to do about their incisions to facilitate healing. In general, we instruct patients to avoid creams or ointments on the incisions as well as any hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol. After six weeks once all the incisions…
Breast reconstruction is a challenging aspect of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Mastectomy reconstruction involves re-creating the breast when skin is thin and devitalized and or radiated from the mastectomy surgery. When a breast implant becomes exposed after mastectomy reconstruction the patient and surgeon are faced with a challenging problem. The implant can become exposed from poor quality of the mastectomy…
Breast reconstruction can be a very rewarding aspect of a plastic and reconstructive surgeons practice. It can also be one of the most challenging aspects of the practice. In a mastectomy, the blood supply to the skin and the blood supply to the nipple areola complex are removed. Then, the breast is reconstructed with a foreign silicone object, which is…
There are several occasions where patients come to our practice and they have previously undergone a mastectomy reconstruction, but would like to improve the appearance of their reconstruction. Common reasons for wanting to improve the appearance of their reconstruction is thin skin, with waviness and rippling of the implant, asymmetry of the reconstructed breast volume or position, and capsular contracture.…
