Breast Cancer Reconstruction Surgery Treatments
Though becoming less common as medicine advances, when a breast cancer sufferer requires a full mastectomy, most will opt to have breast cancer reconstructive surgery. The technology available today allows specialized plastic surgeons to perform reconstructions that make it look as if surgery was never performed.
There are several options available, and it is advisable that you discuss all these options with your physician to ensure that the option you choose is the right one for your situation.
One of the most used options are breast implants. Those available today are normally a silicon outer shell with saline filled bags. The implants are inserted under the skin, in front of the chest wall muscles.
Silicon filled implants used to be more common in previous years. However it was believed that if the silicon leaked, it might cause problems with the immune system. The FDA has researched this for several years, however, and has declared this not to be of concern, so silicon breast implants are legal once more. Some people prefer silicon implants as they sit differently to saline implants once inserted under the skin.
Breast cancer reconstruction surgery treatments are sometimes performed during the mastectomy in some situations. Other cases require patients to wait while the body heals from the mastectomy before undergoing reconstructive surgery. Each case is unique, and must be fully considered before a decision is made.
A two-stage delayed breast cancer reconstruction surgery is most often undergone when the skin and chest wall tissues are flat. A special tissue expander, similar to a balloon, is inserted beneath the muscle. Saline is then injected periodically by the surgeon in order to gradually fill the sac. Occasionally the expander acts as the implant, but more often it is removed and a permanent implant is inserted.
Another type of breast reconstruction surgery is a tissue flap procedure. This method requires skin to be taken from the stomach and thigh area and is then used in the breast area.
One of the most common procedures is known as TRAM (transverse rectus abdominis muscle flap), where tissue is removed from the lower abdominal wall. There are two ways that this is performed. The first, a pedicle flap, pulls the tissue up to the breast area, leaving the tissue attached to the original blood supply. The second, a free flap procedure, removes the tissue, muscles, fat, and blood vessels and they are then reattached under the chest.
Another often used procedure moves tissue from the upper back to the chest wall to make a pocket. A breast implant is then placed in the pocket. Other procedures, using tissue from other areas, also exist.
Breast cancer reconstruction surgery may, or may not, include nipple and/or areola reconstruction. Sometimes this procedure is performed later, and sometimes not at all. Generally the original nipple is not used in case it may help facilitate a cancer recurrence.
As with any procedure, the breast cancer reconstructive surgery has risks attached.
Complications, such as infection or scarring, can occur. Scar tissue can form around the implant. Circumstances, such as age, mean that breast implants may wear out, meaning additional surgery is required. There is also a chance that the implants may not look the way the patient expected.
For these reasons, it is vitally important that all options available to you are discussed with your physician so that you can choose the option that is right for your situation.
Introduction to Breast Cancer
Genetic Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Breast Cancer Stages – Breast Cancer Survival Rates
Environmental and Lifestyle Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Breast Cancer Self Exam - Diagnosing Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Prevention – How to Prevent Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Diagnosis - Breast Cancer Test
Breast Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy Breast Cancer Medication
Breast Cancer Mammogram Diagnosis
Breast Cancer Surgery Treatment
Breast Cancer Statistics, Diagnosis and Treatments
Breast Cancer Diet Tests and Research
Breast Cancer Radiation Treatment
|
