Nervous about Breast Reconstruction with Mastectomy

Breast reconstruction timing is one of the key questions that you should discuss with a team. That team should consist of your plastic surgeon, your general surgeon and your oncologist. In my San Francisco area practice I have performed immediate and delayed breast reconstructions, tailoring each treatment... more

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether or not to have immediate breast reconstruction.  Immediate breast reconstruction is when the reconstruction is done at the time of mastectomy; in other words, there is no delay.  The reconstruction can be done using your own tissue or using a... more

Breast reconstruction can be immediate (at the same time as the mastectomy) or delayed (after a few weeks to months). The decision as to which one is better for a particular patient depends on a lot of factors one of them is surgeon preference. In my practice I now rarely perform immediate... more

The only time you lose an opportunity for your best result is when you could have had a "skin sparing mastectomy" with an immediate reconstruction using your own tissues such as from the lower abdomen. I these cases, less breast skin is removed and the crease under the breast is preserved and the tissue... more

It is certainly overwhelming to be presented not only with the diagnosis of breast cancer, but also the variety of possible treatments that follow from the breast cancer diagnosis, including possible chemotherapy or radiation therapy.  The thought of reconstructive breast surgery may seem like one... more

Having been instrumental as a founding member of a breast clinic in a major urban hospital treating breast cancer with a multidisciplinary approach I have a few points to make. First of all, the fact that your oncologist, and hopefully your general surgeon, has offered immediate reconstruction as a... more

Your unique situation would clearly require a consultation.  Breast reconstruction involves a variety of techniques and methods which are too detailed to discuss in this format. Important information to acquire during a consultation involves a long history to document: family history, future risk... more

Debbie, Breast reconstruction is a personal decision and should be discussed thoroughly with your plastic surgeon. He/she can help you decide the timing and which procedure is best for you. All things being equal, I feel immediate breast reconstruction has several advantages vs. delayed including one less... more

Immediate breast reconstruction is an option for the majority of women getting a mastectomy. Keep in mind though, that breast reconstruction (even when considered immediate), often requires multiple steps to get it as symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing as possible. Delayed reconstruction is an option,... more

In the majority of patients, I believe there is an advantage to having the reconstructive process started with the mastectomy. If my wife were in your shoes, that is what I would suggest. Think of breast reconstruction as a process, that may take several stages to complete. Many times, these subsequent stages... more