Should I have Breast Reconstruction Now or Later?

With so much to think about after a breast cancer diagnosis, many patients facing mastectomy do not fully understand how the timing of breast reconstruction influences how the reconstructed breasts will ultimately look. Breast reconstruction can be performed at the same time as the mastectomy ("immediate reconstruction") or a while after mastectomy ("delayed reconstruction"). When the mastectomy and reconstruction are performed at the same time, a skin-sparing mastectomy can usually be performed which saves the majority of the natural breast skin envelope (except for the nipple and areola). Only the actual breast tissue under the skin is removed. The reconstruction then "fills" this empty skin envelope. In some select cases the nipple and areola can also be saved. This is known as a nipple-sparing mastectomy. Skin-sparing (or nipple-sparing) mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction produce the most "natural" results with the least scarring. This should therefore be the goal for breast cancer patients with early disease (stage I or II) whenever possible. Delayed reconstruction unfortunately leaves more scarring (typically) and the final breast is less likely to look like the breasts Mother Nature provided. Common reasons to delay reconstruction include advanced breast cancer (stage III or IV), inflammatory breast cancer, the plan for radiation therapy after mastectomy, and lack of access to a reconstructive surgeon. The difference in scarring between ...
Source: Breast Cancer Reconstruction Blog - Category: Cancer Tags: breast reconstruction delayed breast reconstruction immediate breast reconstruction DIEP flap Source Type: blogs