What size tissue expanders should be placed in after a double mastectomy if you want to get final DD implants?

Great question.Generally cup sizes are not accurate indicators of breast size.I recommend patients undergo sizing and
evaluate their expansions on the type of the look they are interested in,
rather than focusing on a particular cup size.Expanders are placed based on your chest
wall measurements and expansions occur afterwards.This is when you will have the opportunity to
get an idea on the “look” you are interested in, rather than focusing on a “cup
size”, which can be very inaccurate in an implant surgery.Best of Luck.

I don't think there is an exact answer for that. Personally, I do not go by cup size as a final result. I go by size and shape of your breasts to match your torso.

Hello! Thank you for your question. In general, breast size does not correlate with bra cup size. The cup size itself will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer as well as who is doing the actual measurements. Thus, cup size is never a reliable indicator for your breast size. I typically encourage my patients not to communicate her desires in cup size but more on the actual look and appearance.  The tissue expander size should be determined by your chest width and which size expander will fit you best to expand the pocket that will be created. Good communication between you and your surgeon of your expectations is warranted - choosing your surgeon wisely is the first step. Discussion of your wishes and having an honest and open dialog of your procedure is mandatory (e.g, incision, implant type/projection, etc). I have found that photographs brought by the patient is helpful to get a visualization of the appearance you wish for in terms of size, shape, fullness, etc. In addition, your surgeon's pre and postoperative photographs should demonstrate a realistic goal for you. Once this has been accomplished, allow your surgeon to utilize his/her best medical judgment during the procedure to finesse the best possible result for you after preoperative planning and creating the most aesthetically-pleasing breast for you.  Hope me that this helps! Best wishes for a wonderful result!

Tissue expanders are selected based on your chest wall measurements.   Depending on your anatomy, it may not be a reasonable to expect DD breasts after bilateral mastectomy breast reconstruction.  Please visit with a board certified PS to learn more about your options.

Tissue expanders for breast reconstruction are available in different shapes and sizes. Round tissue expanders are available as well as expanders with more of a breast shape. Each has specific dimensions. It is best to choose the expander that best matches your specific measurements. The base width of the breast to be reconstructed is a very important measurement. Most often surgeons used expanders with more of a breast shape. In this case the width of the breast to be reconstructed is an important measurement. The next measurement would be the height of the expander necessary to create the ideal breast. Projection is the measurement from the chest wall straight out to the most projecting part of the breast which is normally the nipple area. Most often expanders with the most projection are selected because the component of the reconstruction is the achievement of adequate projection. Each patient has a different capacity for expansion. Some will expand more than others. This is one reason why it is difficult to predict the final outcome regarding size, projection and cup size. Ultimately the projection is the most important dimension when determining cup size. The size tissue expanders which should be used therefore should be determined by your specific preoperative measurements.

The size of the tissue expander would depend on the measurement of the chest area.Breast reconstruction decisions takes in consideration a complex set of issues to determine the type of reconstruction that is most appropriate for you based on the previous treatments, available tissue coverage, ultimate goals desired. So that you can get the best results and minimize the risks of complications