Breast Augmentation

Frequent questions

Is breast reconstruction done at the same time as removal?

Although breast reconstruction can be performed at the same time as mastectomy, this is not always the case. Breast reconstruction surgery can be done at any time after breast removal.

There are women who decide to wait a while, due to emotional issues or health-related aspects that may interfere, for example, in healing.

The best thing is to consult all the possibilities and let yourself be advised by the team of experts that is treating us.

Does this procedure intervene in other cancer treatments?

No scientific evidence linking breast reconstruction with cancer recurrence has been found. Generally, this procedure does not interfere with any treatment following the removal of the breast, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Will I recover the sensitivity of the breast?

It is possible to recover the sensibility after a breast reconstruction after a mastectomy. The process is slow and may not notice anything until the year, and it is likely that the touch is not the same. Everything depends on each patient.

Does radiotherapy influence breast reconstruction?

Radiotherapy can condition breast reconstruction when deciding on one technique or another. In these cases it is usual to resort to procedures that involve the use of tissues from other body parts.

This is because the skin is sensitive to the effects of radiotherapy, showing less elasticity. Therefore, it is necessary to relax it or replace it with another that is more flexible.

What differences will there be between the reconstructed breast and the natural breast?

Breast reconstruction surgery is very effective and usually the shape and symmetry of the breast removed is recovered in such a way that the change is hardly appreciated. Finding the symmetry between both breasts is one of the priority objectives of plastic surgeons.

In the same way, modifications can also be made to the other breast in which case the patient so wishes or if necessary.

  Does breast reconstruction affect the ability to check if breast cancer has returned?

Several studies have shown that breast reconstruction does not mean an increase in cancer reproducing again. Nor does it imply that it is more difficult to control possible recurrences through mammography.

Procedure in breast reconstruction

How to plan this surgery?

Breast reconstruction can be considered from the moment cancer is diagnosed. It is best that the general surgeon or gynecologist / oncologist and plastic surgeon, agree and plan what is the best strategy for reconstruction is performed under the best conditions.

After evaluating the health status of the patient, we proceed to explain what are the reconstructive options available, and which is the most appropriate depending on age, anatomy, tissues, and particular objectives.

 Preparation

Both the oncologist and we will tell you the specific instructions on how to prepare breast reconstruction surgery. In addition, we give you fasting guidelines, guides on habits such as smoking, and instructions on the intake of medicines and vitamins.

It is important that the first two or three days are accompanied by a responsible adult, in order to meet the possible needs that may arise in the postoperative period.

 Types of anesthesia

The first part of the reconstruction, that is, the one that corresponds to the creation of the volume of the breast, is usually performed under general anesthesia.

Regarding the rest of the procedures, it will depend on the characteristics of the procedures, but some of them only need to be performed under local anesthesia and sedation or only with local anesthesia.

The intervention

There are different options for undergoing breast reconstruction. It is necessary that the patient know what they are and determine which is the most convenient.

The reconstructive surgeries performed after a mastectomy are several: with expanders and implants, using tissue from other parts of the body such as the abdomen or back, or with a wide dorsal flap, which uses techniques from both surgeries.

Similarly, it must be borne in mind that breast reconstructions are associated with complementary treatments that can be extended over 12 months. They are usually procedures to achieve the symmetry of the other breast or reconstruct the areola and nipple, among others.