Breast reconstruction is done to recreate or reshape either one breast or both breasts that have been removed because of a mastectomy or lumpectomy. A mastectomy is a major surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast (including the nipple and areola) to treat or prevent breast cancer. A lumpectomy involves removing just a portion of the breast where a smaller tumor can be found.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best type of breast reconstruction for each individual. The major forms of breast reconstruction include:Prosthetic or implant surgery uses silicone or saline implants to reconstruct the breast.Skin flap or autologous reconstructive surgery uses tissue from another area of your body to reconstruct the breast.

To create a more authentic restoration of the breast (s), at times a surgeon will use both methods in a single stage, where there was trauma to the nipple(s) or areola(s) as a result of cancer treatment so that they may be reconstructed using other techniques. The combination of breast reconstruction and lumpectomy or mastectomy is referred to as immediate reconstruction; delaying reconstruction would occur once the patient has recovered from the mastectomy and has no further treatment for cancer, under the direction of the Best Breast Surgery and Reconstruction specialist in Dombivli who can provide safe, individualized care.

Recovery

Risks and complications

When someone is having breast reconstruction surgery they can be faced with these different risks and complications:

- Hemorrhaging; hematoma (clots of blood)

- infection

- complications from anaesthesia

- fluid trapped in the donor site (if skin flap surgery) or the breast

- extreme fatigue

- delayed healing of the wound

Additional health concerns that may arise after surgery include:

- Necrosis (death of tissue) to the flap or surrounding tissues (skin, fat)

- reduced muscle strength in the donor site (if skin flap)

- altered sensation of either breast/nipple

- additional surgical procedures needed in the event of complications

- breasts do not match

- problems with the implant (keloid formation, displacement, rupture, leak)

- need for removal of the implants.

Once surgery has been completed, future surgeries may be needed. Examples include minor revision surgeries occurring months or years after completing a mastectomy, implant, or flap reconstruction (due to future treatments such as chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy).

Another example is nipple reconstruction, which is sometimes necessary for creating a "nipple" protrusion on the reconstructed breast. A surgeon stitches a few small pieces of skin to one another to create the appearance of a projection. Then, a patient may wish to have a tattoo placed on the newly created nipple and surrounding skin to create the illusion of an areola.

Some people decide to get a three-dimensional nipple tattoo, using shading to create the look of a raised nipple, instead of getting an actual nipple reconstructed. Another option for revision surgery is fat grafting, where a surgeon performs liposuction on the trunk or thighs to collect fat, and then inserts the fat into the area around the reconstructed breasts to help make divots, hollow areas, and irregular shapes look better. Since the body may eventually absorb some of the fat the surgeon puts into the breasts, the patient may need to have multiple sessions for fat grafting. Patients generally get sent home on the same day that they have their procedures done by a Best Breast Surgery and Reconstruction Specialist in Dombivli, and since these surgeries are small, there is little downtime.

Deciding to have surgery

Breast reconstruction surgery is a decision that is made by each individual. Women who have had a mastectomy may experience sorrow related to their lost breasts, as well as anxiety and concerns about their self-image.

Therefore, many women choose to get breast reconstruction. After choosing to reconstruct their breasts, there are still important decisions to be made regarding:

- Which surgical technique will be used

- When the surgery will be performed

- Whether or not both breasts will be surgically aligned.

When helping a patient and their doctor determine the best possible type of breast reconstruction, consider these factors:

When determining which breast reconstruction method will be best for a patient, a physician should consider an individual's body type. For example, a thin woman may not have enough excess tissue elsewhere in her body to perform skin flap surgery.

- Your overall health status, including your smoking habits, physical appearance, and lifestyle;

- what type (s) of cancer you have and where you have received treatment for it;

- what kind; and how much effort will you put into it.

- Additionally;

- what treatments would you/could you receive for cancer or other types of cancers. How many treatments will the patient undergo;

- his/her desire to recover quickly after surgery;

- whether any elective or cosmetic procedures would be covered with their insurance policy.