AFTER BREAST SURGERY, BREAST CANCER PATIENTS OFTEN WORRY ABOUT HOW TO RESUME THEIR DAILY LIFE WITH SUCH AN ALTERED PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.
With a highly accomplished plastic and reconstructive surgeons as members of its multidisciplinary medical team.
NBCC offers women a broad spectrum of breast-reconstruction options including the latest and most advanced “perforator flap” surgeries, in which breast is sculpted from fat and skin removed from the belly or other areas of the body.
Through surgery, the specialist can reconstruct the shape of the breast after the whole breast is removed (mastectomy) or part of it (partial mastectomy).
The aim of breast reconstruction is to create a breast shape that looks as natural as possible while matching the breast on the other side in size, shape and position.
Although reconstructive surgery is an optional surgery that is not part of the cancer treatment, numerous studies have shown that patients who choose to have reconstructive surgery were considerably more satisfied with their quality of life, sexual, and psychosocial well-being than women who decide against reconstructive surgery.
TYPES OF BREAST RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY
There are two main factors to be considered when choosing breast reconstructive surgery: timing of the surgery; Immediate vs. Delayed and the type of reconstruction; Implant vs. Autologous.
The timing of the breast reconstructive surgery depends on the surgical team’s assessment of the patient’s overall health and medical history as well as the patient’s own individual preferences.
Immediate
Reconstruction
Immediate reconstruction is when the reconstructive surgery occurs on the same day of the breast operation. In most cases, immediate reconstruction is the preferred choice of most patients and surgeons. Overall you may save money, stay fewer in the hospital and spend fewer days recovering from surgery when you combine your reconstruction with your mastectomy procedure. Immediate reconstruction can in some cases deliver better aesthetic results since the skin hasn’t yet had time to contract and lose its shape after the mastectomy.
Delayed
Reconstruction
For patients who were not informed about reconstructive surgery options before their mastectomy procedure or for those who desire to delay their reconstruction for whatever reason until the time when they feel ready, there exists the option of delayed reconstruction. Depending on the case, a delayed reconstruction can occur months or even years after the mastectomy or partial mastectomy.
Due to the fact that in delayed reconstruction the surgeon has to deal with old mastectomy scars, lack of skin or poor skin laxity and fibrosis specially in patients who have had radiation therapy, delayed reconstructive procedures tend to be more extensive than direct implant reconstructive procedures. With the latest available surgical techniques such as fat grafting and autologous reconstruction, excellent aesthetic results can still be achieved.
Autologous
Reconstruction
Autologous reconstruction uses tissue (skin, fat, and sometimes muscle) from another place on your body to form a breast shape. The tissue (called a “flap”) usually comes from the belly, the back, buttocks, or inner thighs to create the reconstructed breast. This surgery results in exceptionally realistic breast. The breast will age with other tissues, and it will grow and contract if a patient gains or loses weight. This makes it easier to retain symmetry for patients who have surgery on only one breast. The use of belly tissue makes it similar to a tummy tuck, giving patients a slimmer stomach. The reconstructed breast lasts a lifetime and may never require maintenance as opposed to implants.
This surgery involves advanced techniques and at least two surgical sites, so it takes longer and requires longer recovery times than implant surgery. On rare occasions, a flap has to be removed if blood flow isn’t enough to keep it healthy.
Prosthetic
Breast
Reconstruction
Several different types of breast implants can be used to rebuild the breast. NBCC uses implants with the most innovative material of silicone and advanced cohesiveness that looks and feels the most like natural breast tissue. Implants usually last for about 10 to 15 years and may require maintenance when the shape of the patient’s body changes.
NBCC’s Multidisciplinary Approach to
Reconstructive Surgery
NBCC’s unique advantage as a breast care center is the availability of a highly qualified multidisciplinary team dedicated to the care of every patient’s care.
In most hospitals and cancer centers, the patient has to set individual appointments with an oncologist, general surgeon, and plastic surgeon to learn about the breast cancer therapies and reconstructive surgery options. These specialists would then need to contact one another and coordinate to study the patient’s file which is often time consuming and exhausting for a patient suffering from the anxiety of being diagnosed with cancer.
At NBCC, all the needed specialists such as the general surgeon, oncologist, radio therapist, pathologist and plastic surgeon are available and meet regularly to study all patients’ medical files before making any medical or surgical decisions.
As part of the integrated breast care program, the reconstructive surgery options are carefully evaluated from a variety of medical perspectives to determine the best possible procedure for the patient’s overall health and well-being, including the aesthetic appearance of the breast. This gives the patient a wide range of choices and offers her a chance to look ahead to restorative treatment.