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Options for Breast Reconstruction for Those Who Had Radiation?

asked 10 months ago by anon
Latest answer by Fredrick A. Valauri, MD
Question viewed 226 times
Tags: breasts, best, breast cancer, donor, options, radiation, recommendation, tissue, tissue expander

What breast reconstruction options are best suited for radiation patients. complications? Is back tissue a good option to consider? Why?

7 answers to Options for Breast Reconstruction for Those Who Had Radiation?

+1

Breast Reconstruction After Radiation Therapy

Breast reconstruction for patients who are going to have or who have had radiation therapy is best accomplished with flap breast reconstruction techniques that utilize only your own skin, fat, and muscle tissues. These all natural tissue breast reconstructions eliminate the potential complications of breast implant infection, breast implant capsule contractures, breast implant exposure. While not for everyone, flap breast reconstructions such as TRAM flaps, or DIEP flaps offer... more
Fredrick A. Valauri, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

www.drvalauri.com

+1

Post Radiation Breast Reconstruction Options

There is some controvery on how to approach breast reconstruction after radiation therapy (XRT). Radiation therapy is excellent in helping you reduce your risk for recurrence. As I tell my patients, radiation is excellent at killing microscopic cancer cells. However, radiation does "fry" the non cancer normal tissue as well. Radiated tissue will never be the same. Although some notable studies have shown acceptable results with implant-based reconstruction in patients who... more
C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.basuplasticsurgery.com

+1

Breast Reconstruction after Radiation

Due to the high incidence of capsular contracture with breast implants in those who have undergone radiation, I do not recommend their use in these patients. Although the latissimus dorsi (LD) flap involves a quicker recovery than other traditional tissue flaps, it often requires a small implant to provide projection and an aesthetically pleasing breast mound. Therefore in radiated patients, I prefer the LD flap as a backup procedure in the event that a patient is not a... more
Paul S. Gill, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reconstruction after radiation

As you have already read implants don't do well or look natural after breast radiation. The key is to bring in new healthy non-radiated tissue. One can consider either use of the abdomen, TRAM DIEP gluteal flap or back tissue flap.
Stephen A. Chidyllo, MD

Red Bank Plastic Surgeon
+1

Your best option is autologous breast reconstruction.

Patient with radiation have higher risk of capsular contracture. Using DIEP flap from the abdomen without the use of the abdominal muscle is a good option if you have fatty tissue over the lower abdomen.
Kamran Khoobehi, MD

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reconstruction

Radiated tissue does not do well with implants. Implant failure is very high in radiated tissue. The back muscle and skin (Latismus Dorsi Myocutaneous flap) will bring with it a health muscle with good blood supply and can use an implant undr that muscle. Othe option is the excess skin and fat in the lower abdomen, TRAM Flap, if there is enough fat you will not need an implant. Other options are the Free Flaps, taken from the abdomen, or the buttocks
Samir Shureih, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reconstruction after radiation

If you have some extra tissue in the lower abdomen, this is the best option for breast reconstruction (TRAM, DIEP flaps) after radiation because it can be shaped into a soft natural looking breast. The radiation makes it extremely difficult for implants to work without dense scar tissues forming around them. Please go to a plastic surgeon who can offer you ALL options including microsurgical flaps (TRAM, DIEP etc) so the best option can be selected for you. The back... more
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

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