Breast reconstruction after cancer is one of the safest and most rewarding current surgical procedures in plastic surgery for the patient. The development of new techniques allows the plastic surgeon to create a breast that closely resembles the unoperated one in shape, texture and characteristics. Moreover, in most cases it is possible to carry out the reconstruction at the same time as the breast is removed, sparing the patient the experience of seeing herself after a mastectomy.
The aims of breast reconstruction are:
● Recreating a natural-looking breast, including the areola and nipple.
● Eliminating the need to wear external filler prostheses, making it possible to wear garments that would not be possible without reconstruction (swimsuits, low necklines, etc.).
● Filling the gap and deformity that may remain in the chest.
● Restoring body image and improving the patient's quality of life. A breast reconstruction is permanent and will allow you to lead a completely normal life.
For the vast majority of women with breast cancer, breast reconstruction improves their body image, which facilitates greater emotional stability, allows them to face the disease in a more positive way and to lead a more active social and sexual life.
Who can have breast reconstruction, and when?
Almost all women who have had a mastectomy can, from a medical point of view, be considered candidates for breast reconstruction, most of them at the same time as the breast is removed. The ideal candidate is one whose tumour can be completely removed during the mastectomy. When the breast is reconstructed at the same time as the mastectomy (a technique called immediate reconstruction), the patient wakes up from the operation with an adequate breast contour, avoiding the experience of seeing herself with the breast amputated; the psychological benefit of this technique is clear.
On the other hand, immediate reconstruction requires close collaboration between the surgeon who removes the breast and the plastic surgeon, since both must be present when the patient is operated on.
In any case, the important thing is to have adequate and clear information about the reconstruction options before undergoing surgery, so as to face the operation in a more positive way. The plastic surgeon is the specialist who, thanks to their training (specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery), has the appropriate technical and aesthetic resources to reconstruct a breast with a natural appearance. After assessing the patient's general condition, the surgeon will inform you of the most appropriate options for your age, health, physical and anatomical characteristics and future expectations.