Breast Reconstruction
Breast cancer not only threatens a woman’s life and health but also steals her femininity, leaving her with the stigma of having had destructive and mutilating surgery. Breast reconstruction forms part of a woman’s journey to wholeness, after being diagnosed and treated for a potentially life threatening disease.
The extent of breast reconstructive surgery is determined by the extent of the cancer
surgery viz.: .partial mastectomy/ lumpectomy ( partial removal of a breast)
- subcutaneous mastectomy( removing breast tissue but leaving the breast envelope and the nipple/areola behind.)
- complete mastectomy( removal of the entire breast together with the nipple/ areolae) Sometimes immediate reconstruction at the time of the mastectomy can be performed.
In other cases, it is best to delay reconstruction until all cancer treatment has been completed.
Breast reconstruction options
Immediate reconstruction:
- Prosthesis, with or without tissue expansion
- Lattisimus Dorsi back flap with breast implant
- Abdominal TRAM flap
- Abdominal DIEP free flap
Delayed breast reconstruction:
- Prosthesis, with or without tissue expansion
- Lattisimus Dorsi back flap with breast implant
- Abdominal TRAM flap
- Abdominal DIEP flap
