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Breast Reconstruction

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What Is Breast Reconstruction?

At MidAmerica Plastic Surgery, Dr. Ryan Diederich performs breast reconstruction to help patients from Maryville, Edwardsville, and throughout metro St. Louis restore their breast(s) to a near normal shape, appearance, symmetry, and size following mastectomy, lumpectomy, or other trauma. There are many different ways he can help you achieve your personal reconstructive goals each with its distinct advantages.

Reconstruction and Breast Cancer

Treatment should be a team approach and include:

• Your primary care physician
• General surgeon/breast surgeon
• Plastic surgeon
• Oncologist
• Radiologist/radiation oncologist

When Should I Have Breast Reconstruction?

Immediate

This is becoming the most frequent method of breast reconstruction.

• Advantages: Immediate post-mastectomy reconstruction offers the psychological and aesthetic advantage of waking from the mastectomy procedure with a lesser deformity and reconstruction well underway.
• Disadvantages: Many women find the primary drawback of immediate reconstruction to be the longer surgery and recovery times. Also, subsequent radiation treatment can compromise the reconstructed tissue.

Delayed

In select patients (such as those with advanced disease, when radiation may be necessary), delay is necessary.

• Advantages: Many women feel that delaying reconstruction gives them time to focus on treatments and research the type of reconstruction that best suits their needs.
• Disadvantages: Some patients find that being without a breast for an extended or unknown period of time can be emotionally difficult.

Types of Breast Reconstruction Offered

• Implant Reconstruction
• Autologous (your own tissue)

Implant Reconstruction

During this type of Breast Reconstruction, a breast implant is utilized similar to cosmetic breast augmentation. This typically requires a staged approach with a tissue expander being placed first. A tissue expander is similar to an empty breast implant that is placed at the time of reconstruction. Fluid is slowly added to the expander until the appropriate volume is reached (or sometimes slightly over-filled). Once this is completed, the tissue expander is removed and a permanent implant (either saline or silicone) is placed to complete the reconstruction.

Hospital Stay: 1-2 days
Recovery Time: several weeks

You are an ideal candidate if you:

• Have no available tissue options (for an autologous procedure).
• Do not desire an autologous operation.
• Do not have compromised tissue at the mastectomy site.
• Have no history of radiation to the breast or chest wall.
• Are having prophylactic mastectomies.
• Want bilateral reconstruction.
• Are having immediate reconstruction after nipple-areola-sparing mastectomy.
• Desire an operation on the opposite breast to help improve symmetry.

 

Will My Insurance Cover Breast Reconstruction?

The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA) requires all health plans that cover mastectomies offer post-mastectomy and reconstructive surgery benefits.

Now What?

Dr. Ryan Diederich is a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in a range of aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery procedures at MidAmerica Plastic Surgery in Glen Carbon, IL. If you’re looking for a plastic surgeon east of St. Louis, you can schedule a consultation, or call us at (618) 288-7855 to schedule an appointment.

For more information see:

• The American Society of Plastic Surgery topic “Breast Reconstruction”.
• The American Cancer Society’s topic “Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy”.

*This article is intended as a guideline only. This is not intended as medical advice. There are no guarantees written or implied from the information presented here. Only a consultation can provide an appropriate evaluation and discussion regarding any procedure. Refer to your physician for medical decision making and advice.