What Is Breast Reconstruction And When Is It Recommended?
Breast reconstruction is a procedure that allows the breasts to return a relatively normal appearance. It is a surgery that is performed in different ways, depending on the conditions of each woman and the underlying pathology.
It is usually necessary after a mastectomy for cancer. Mastectomy is an operation that consists of removing one or both breasts in order to treat or prevent breast cancer pathology.
Unfortunately, breast cancer is one of the most common in women. In addition, breasts have a remarkable importance in a person’s confidence and self-esteem. Therefore, in this article we explain everything you need to know about breast reconstruction and how it is performed.
Why is a breast reconstruction performed?
Breast reconstruction, as we have explained in the introduction, is a procedure that is usually performed after a mastectomy. Mastectomy is an operation performed to treat or prevent breast cancer.
Reconstruction, according to the Spanish Society of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, improves the image and facilitates the emotional stability of women who have had to face a mastectomy. In addition, it allows the attitude towards the disease to be more positive and to have a less impact on daily life.
Breast reconstruction is intended to restore the natural appearance of the breast. The idea is to fill in the gap or deformity that has been left after the mastectomy. It is also tried that both breasts are as similar as possible. In most cases, a nipple and areola are recreated to improve the result.
It is often thought that breast reconstruction can only be done with implants. However, thanks to advances in medicine, there are more and more ways to do it. In fact, concern and awareness about the importance of this issue has increased.
In many countries, such as Spain, reconstruction is part of the treatment of breast cancer. As soon as the diagnosis is made, the strategy is usually planned. Both oncologists and plastic surgeons collaborate to find the best solution and the most aesthetic and safest result.
When can breast reconstruction be performed?
Breast reconstruction can be done in almost all women who have undergone a mastectomy. However, this depends on the health conditions of said patient. Above all, the state of the cancer.
In some cases it is carried out during the same mastectomy operation. It is called immediate reconstruction . It has the benefit of requiring less income and interventions. In addition, it supposes less psychological impact for the patient.
However, it cannot always be done that way. As an article from the National Cancer Institute explains, it is essential to consider whether or not the woman will require radiotherapy.
The problem is that radiation therapy causes complications in the wound, such as difficulty healing. However, there are cases where this is not considered a contraindication.
The type of cancer is also decisive. If the breast cancer is inflammatory, it is usually necessary to remove a lot of skin during the mastectomy. That is why it can be complex to rebuild at that time.
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