Weighing the Benefits and Risks of Breast Reconstruction Surgery After Mastectomy

By Fonthip Maspithak  Breast cancer is no longer the death sentence it was decades ago. Improved medical interventions result in more survivors – even with the most aggressive forms of cancer. While women are concerned for their health, they may also be concerned about restoring the appearance of their breasts, leading them to consider breast reconstruction – a procedure performed after a mastectomy to restore the breast to its original size and shape. While it has risks, new methods provide women with greater and safer options to regain their previous shape.  Breast reconstruction is a major personal decision. Many women consider it in order to: remain symmetrical, regain their breast shape, eliminate the need for a prosthetic breast, and improve their body image. However, they must weigh the benefits and risks before having the surgery.Women opting to undergo breast reconstruction must consider the following before having surgery: overall health, stage of breast cancer, size of the natural breast, amount of body tissue available (very thin women may not have enough skin), whether to have both breasts reconstructed, type of procedure, size of the implant, and wanting the reconstructed breast to match the other breast.  Breast reconstruction is performed either immediately after a mastectomy or months later. Immediate reconstruction is done during or soon after the mastectomy. This procedure is offered to women who don’t require chemotherapy. This procedure ...
Source: Sciences Blog - Category: Science Authors: Tags: General Source Type: blogs