A woman’s breasts have long been tied to a sense of femininity and female sexuality. As a result, a breast cancer diagnosis and loss of one or both breasts as part of cancer treatment can be devastating for most women. Luckily, it is possible to restore a woman’s breasts after mastectomy through implant based reconstruction or tissue (flap) based reconstruction. This guide compares implants and flap reconstruction surgeries and can help you decide what option to choose.
Breast Implants
Breast implants are the most common breast reconstruction option for cancer patients after mastectomy. Breast lift dc procedure utilizes silicone gel filled implants to provide shape and fullness to the reconstructed breast. For most patients, immediate reconstruction at the time of the mastectomy is an option. Typically, Dr. Steele will place a tissue expander on top of the chest muscle if the skin quality is good. In some cases, permanent implants can be placed at the time of mastectomy as well.
After the healing process starts, the surgeon slowly fills the expander with saline to stretch the overlying skin. This process will typically be completed within a few weeks. After another six to eight weeks of healing, Dr. Steele will remove the expander and place a permanent silicone gel implant, often in combination with fat grafting of the upper breast for optimal shape and contour.
Most women are able to achieve a size similar to their pre-operative breasts. Where only one breast is removed, it may be necessary to augment or lift the contralateral breast to help improve symmetry.
Flap Reconstruction
Flap breast reconstruction involves using skin, fat, and tissue from another body area to create a new breast. The different types of flap breast reconstructive surgeries include TRAM flap and DIEP flap, Latissimus dorsi flap, and SGAP flap reconstruction.
“Flap breast procedures are best for patients who do not have enough skin or muscle to accommodate an implant or whose bodies may not agree with silicone implants for whatever reason, or for patients who are hesitant to have a foreign device in their body,” says plastic surgeon Dr. Steele.
What Makes Implants The Better Option
Implant breast reconstruction is the least complex option when compared to a flap reconstruction and the most commonly chosen option in breast reconstruction. First, recovery time is significantly shorter, and it doesn’t create a donor site, which will create another area of healing, more scars, and longer recovery.
It is also less invasive and requires a small incision, which means less scarring and discomfort with a quicker recovery.
Implant Reconstruction Drawbacks
Implants will have to be replaced over time for a variety of reasons; they are not lifetime devices and are prone to complications over time. Modern implants are made to last, but you may need periodic checkups over time.
Having the procedure performed by a surgeon with experience in similar procedures improves your outcomes and minimizes complications.