Breast reconstruction is the rebuilding of a breast. It involves using autologous (patient’s own) tissue or prosthetic material to construct a natural-looking breast. Often this includes the reformation of a natural-looking nipple and areola.
After a lumpectomy it may be simply achieved by moving parts of breast tissue throught the same scar to fill the defect left behind
After a mastectomy this may be achieved via relocation of flaps of the patient’s own tissue usually from the back using the Latissmus Dorsi muscle It may also involve the use of tissue expanders to stretch the remaining skin and subsequent implants once fully expanded
Tissue Expander – Breast implants
This is the most common technique used in worldwide. The surgeon inserts a tissue expander a temporary implant, beneath a pocket under the pectoralis major muscle of the chest wall.
In a process that can take weeks or months saline solution is injected to progressively expand the overlaying tissue. Once the expander has reached an acceptable size, it may be removed and replaced with a more permanent implant. Reconstruction of the areola and nipple are usually performed in a separate operation after the skin has stretched to its final size.
Flap reconstruction
The second most common procedure uses tissue from other parts of the patient’s body, such as the patients back.This procedure may be performed by leaving the donor tissue connected to the original site to retain its blood supply (the vessels are tunnelled beneath the skin surface to the new site) or it may be cut off and new blood supply may be connected.
The LD flap is the donor tissue available on the back. It is a large flat muscle which can be employed without significant loss of function. It can be moved into the breast defect still attached to its blood supply under the arm pit (axilla).
A word of caution
Breast reconstruction is achieved through surgical techniques that attempt to restore a breast to near normal shape, appearance and size following mastectomy.
Although breast reconstruction can rebuild your breast, the results are highly variable:
A reconstructed breast will not have the same sensation and feel as the breast it replaces.
Visible incision lines will always be present on the breast, whether from reconstruction or mastectomy.
A note about symmetry: If only one breast is affected, it alone may be reconstructed. In addition, a breast lift, breast reduction or breast augmentation may be recommended for the opposite breast to improve symmetry of the size and position of both breasts.
DOWNLOAD – Guide To Recovery Following Breast Surgery