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Breast Lift of Good Breast After Unilateral Mastectomy?
I'm 35 years old and in two weeks, I'll have Mastectomy of left breast and immediate Breast Reconstruction with implant-expander. The PS told me that my right breast (the good one) needs just 2 cm lift which he will do with crescent lift. The second option is to put a small implant and increase size a little bit.
What do you think? Which procedure would have the best result (more symmetric breasts) in my body (my chest is skinny as you can see in the pic) for now and in the future? Thank you in advance.
Asked 26 months ago by
trchr in Chicago
35 years old Mastectomy of left breast and immediate Breast Reconstruction
+3
Breast lift as part of breast reconstruction
Breast lifts as a way of balancing the breasts after mastectomy and reconstruction are very common, but the key is the timing of the procedure. Looking at your photos, I would be very surprised if you need much of a lift on the right side, if any, and I would definitely not touch the right breast until we know exactly what the size and shape of the left side will be-- this is hard to predict before the mastectomy, so waiting is often the best option.
The choice to do an immediate versus...
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+2
Post-mastectomy breast reconstruction
I am sorry to heat the you have breast cancer. From the photo you posted, it is difficult to say what to do specifically for the right one. Other photos veiws would be helpful, but it really does not look like you need anything on that side. If it is sagging a bit, then a small implant may do the trick.
+2
Immediate breast reconstruction and options for normal breast
Achieving a good breast reconstruction is more similar to completing a work of art. There is no formula or recipe or definitive step by step process.
Some of these appraoches have been discussed.
It is difficult with any implant breast reconstruction to achieve a natural "droop" to the breast. Despite the best of our intentions, the implant reconstructed breast tends to have a full non-sagging appearance.
To this end, knowing that the left will have a full appearance with a...
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+1
Timing of contralateral breast surgery
Operating on the other breast for symmetry is very commonly performed following mastectomy. However, a sound principle would be to address only the breast that needs to be operated on at this time, and to defer any surgery on the unaffected breast. One may have to accept a period of breast asymmetry during this process. There are two good reasons for this:
1. Only after completion of the mastectomy and implant reconstruction will one truly be able to estimate the volume and...
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+1
Breast lift
It is not uncommon to undergo a procedure on the unaffected breast following unilateral mastectomy. This may involve a lift, augmentation, or reduction. Most often, this is performed as a staged procedure (following the reconstruction)
+1
Breast lift on other side
Hello,
I prefer to do "other side" breast surgery later to give the reconstructed side time to mature. It is difficult to know what to do to match the other breast until the reconstructed side has stopped changing after surgery. These things are often a matter of opinion and philosophy.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
+1
Breast lift on the normal side can be done after reconstruction is completed
Expander implant reconstruction means that your breast will be reconstructed in stages over time. This means that your reconstructed breast will change in shape and size during the course. It would be very hard to plan an appropriate "mastopexy" of your right, normal breast until the left side is completely healed and settled. Why? The mastopexy design will be dependent upon the overal result of the left breast. It would be...
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+1
Breast Lift and Unilateral Mastectomy
A breast lift on the side opposite the mastectomy is commonly needed for patient with ptotic or hanging breasts, particularly if a breast implant expander technique is used for breast reconstruction.
If an autologous tissue breast reconstruction technique ( your own tissue) is used then a ptotic breast can sometimes be matched without need for a breast lift on the side opposite the mastectomy.
So it depends on your anatomy, the technique chosen among other considerations as to...
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+1
Multiple Variables: Be Safe and Stage
One of the cardinal rules of any reconstruction is to not burn any bridges. By doing a breast lift or augmentation of your opposite breast during the initial tissue expander placement, you will run a very high chance of requiring a future revision procedure to your normal breast.
However, if you stage this procedure to your normal breast, you will minimize your chance of problems and have a much more symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing result. In addition, you...
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+1
Breast reconstruction
If after complete discusion with you of all the methods of breast reconstruction, you have elected to go ahead with breast implant reconstruction, then that is fine. My concern is if you need radiation after the implant reconstruction. The effect of radiation will interfere with the final result of the implant reconstruction. The reason implant reconstruction fails is the radiation.
Adjusting the position of the nipple areola is better after completing the reconstruction.
You do not look...
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+1
Leave good breast after unilateral Mastectomy
As you can see from the previous expert posters, LEAVE IT ALONE! You can always do a secondary operation to gain symmetry after the expanded breast is completed. Regards and Good Luck.
+1
Timing of Breast Lift after mastectomy on the other side
I agree with Drs. Stratis and Salemy. I personally like the appearance of the right breast and would leave it alone. If YOU feel that the right breast needs to be improved, I would not do it for at least 6 months AFTER your left breast was reconstructed with an implant. That should give the left breast time to settle and mature. At that time, if YOU felt that the right breast needed to match the left breast more closely, your surgeon would have an exact and stable idea of what to try and...
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+1
Mastopexy (breast lift) after mastectomy reconstruction
Thanks for the great question.
The simple answer is it is too early to be able to tell the best answer. Most symmetry operations after mastectomy and reconstruction are staged. This gives time for the reconstruction to settle and find its final shape as well as give you more of a chance to see what you desire and need for symmetry.
While multiple surgeries means a longer reconstruction process typically it produces greater cosmesis.
Typically "crescent" lifts have minimal power...
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+1
I agree with Dr Salemy
I think that Dr Salemy's answer is very well thought out and expressed well. I don't think I would do anything differently and I do about 5 or 6 breast reconstructions a week.
Good Luck,
Dr T
+1
Breast lift after mastectomy
You should proceed in a stepwise fashion so that you can see what things look like before you decide to proceed to the next step. Ultimately what you do depends on how satisfied yopu are with your reconstruction and symmetry at each step. So, go ahead with the expander then exchange for a permanent implant and wait 3 months. See what things look like at that point and if you want to see what else can be done then see your plastic surgeon. Find out what it would take to achieve what you want...
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