Breast implants after lumpectomy and radiation?

Wow...Healer, you have recieved some fantastic advice here, isn't www.realself.com a great outlet and resource for you! (FYI, I do not work for them, but think this is a great site). I generally do not recommend breats implant after breast irradiation. The plastic surgery literature documents a higher rate of... more

The reconstructive options after Lumpectomy and radiation are good.  The post effects of radiation is different on everyone.  There are options like tissue expansion first if the breast is tight and shrunken, followed by a permanent implant.  Good luck!

Breast preservation through lumpectomy and radiation treatment affords the best appearance and is far better than an effort to reconstruct after mastectomy. The effect of radiation will produce some shrinkage of the breast and produce some breast asymmetry. The radiation does not affect all patients equally... more

If you are looking to augment the breasts and make them larger and more symmetrical then breast augmentation with implants is an option.  You are at a higher risk for this surgery as others have mentioned but if you have breast tissue on the cancer side and are looking to add volume, then it is possible... more

I would NOT recommend it. Although it MAY work, the odds of serious deforming complications is high and the likelihood of scarring around the implants (capsular contracture) is very high. It is always best in cases such as yours to see what tissues (IE the back muscles - the "lats" ) can be borrowed... more

Generally, implants are not recommended in an irradiated breast. The rate of complications and contracture is much higher. It does not mean that it can never be done, but you must be informed of the risks and alternatives. In some cases, there may be better options, such as a local tissue rearrangement or the... more

Breast implants can be used after lumpectomy and radiation, but it does carry some increased risks of complications. SIf the deformity left after the lumpectomy is large, an autlogous recosntruction with your own tissue is often better.

Breast implants can and have been used for both reconstruction and augmentation of lumpectomy and radiation breasts. There is more bleeding, wound complications and risk of infection because of the radiation but the risk is not prohibitive.

There are two reasons to use implants after Lumpectomy & Radiation. One is simply to augment both breasts. In this case, the ideal would be to also even the two sides if there is a difference in size. Although there is an increased risk of problems, with a soft, supple breast on the side of the radiation,... more

Hi! 1)   If you want breast implants for  breast enlargement, that can be done as long as your oncologist approves and as long as you understand that operating on radiated tissues carries a higher risk of complications. 2)   If you need reconstruction for a post-lumpectomy deformity,... more