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Author: foreignhaus | Total views: 25 Comments: 0
Word Count: 736 Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 8:05 AM

Breast Cancer Took My Breast, Can Plastic Surgery Help?

Breast reconstruction is one of the most rewarding surgical procedures available today. When you have had your breast removed due to cancer or other diseases, your surgeon can create a breast that can be close in form and appearance to match your natural breast. Breast reconstruction creates a breast that can be close in form and appearance to match your natural breast.

During your first visit, the surgeon will evaluate your general health. The doctor will explain which surgical techniques are the most appropriate, based on your desires, your body habitus and the condition of the breast.

Your surgeon will describe alternatives, risks, and limitations of each procedure. After the consultation, you will have the opportunity to view pre and post-op pictures.

You will have pictures taken by our professional photographer. These are for your medical record to give you an optimal result. Breast reconstruction can be achieved by several surgical procedures. Your surgeon will discuss your options and the surgical procedure that will give you the best result.

Skin expansion is the most common procedure that combines skin expansion and the subsequent insertion of a breast implant. Following your mastectomy, your surgeon will insert a balloon expander beneath your skin and chest wall muscle.

A tiny valve that is a part of your expander (under your skin) will require injections with saline (salt-water) that gradually fill your expander over several weeks or months.

Once your skin over the breast area has been stretched enough, your expander will be removed in a second operation and a more permanent implant will be inserted. Your nipple and the dark skin surrounding it are reconstructed at a later date. Some patients do not require a tissue expander before receiving an implant, therefore your surgeon will insert your implant following your mastectomy.

Flap reconstruction is an alternative approach to implant reconstruction, when tissue expansion is not a consideration. This involves the creation of a skin muscle flap using tissue from your back or abdomen.

Tram flap is another method that uses tissue brought up from your abdomen, either leaving it attached to is blood vessels or reattaching it to blood vessels in the chest area.

These procedures are more complex than tissue expansion. Scars will be left at both the donor site and on your newly constructed breast. Even though the healing phase takes longer, your results are more natural and you have an added benefit of an improved abdominal contour.

You will feel tired and sore for 1-3 days following your surgery. You will be expected to stay in the hospital overnight, and will need help at home for several weeks.

You will have limited physical activity for about 6 weeks. No lifting over 10 pounds for 4-6 weeks. No aerobic workouts or activities that can increase your heart rate above 100 beats per minute for three weeks.

Your breasts need to be protected from stretching activities for at least six weeks to allow the incisions to heal. You will go home with pain medication and antibiotics. You may have drains that will require you to measure and record the fluid twice daily and reported to your surgeon and/or the nurse on your follow-up visit. You will be given information on what and when to report it during your recovery.

A surgical bra will serve as the dressing with gauze on your incisions for 2-3 days. You may shower within 2-3 days, or after your drains are removed. You will be seen for follow-up sometime during the first week depending on status of drains. During this visit your post op care will be reinforced and changes made in your care if necessary.

You will usually return to your physician' office 3-4 days following surgery for a check up and drain removal if necessary. Then you will return in 7-10 days for suture removal. You will return at approximately 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and one year following your surgery.

If you are having tissue expansion you will be returning weekly until the expander is stretched to the optimal size.

Frequently following breast reconstruction, surgical revisions or secondary stages are necessary to complete this process. Your follow up visits will be based on your surgery type, recovery and healing.

About the Author

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in Dallas, Texas and cosmetic surgery procedures such as dallas breast reconstruction, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, facelift, liposuction, and arm lift.

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