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Breast Reconstruction
Handling breast cancer often requires surgical removing of breast tissue.
This is one of the hardest circumstances a woman has to deal with.
To face this condition, the surgeon must create a new breast, as similar possible as the old one, according to each patient’s condition. Most patients, who have undergone a mastectomy and reconstruction, feel better when they have recovered their lost body shape and femininity.
The reconstructive surgeon is a physician that wants to help you to resume your normal life.
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What is breast reconstruction?
The answer for many tumoral breast diseases frequently is the breast tissue removal. As a consequence, the patient’s anatomy suffers a modification that may be partial or complete, and affects the shape and function of the treated organs. In these cases, the oncologist and the plastic surgeon must work together to ensure the closest possible anatomical reconstruction.
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Before___________After |
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Mammary reconstruction pursues to restore the external appearance of the breasts through different reconstructive surgical techniques improving patient's quality of life.
In United States, immediate mammary reconstruction after a mastectomy has become the rule. Many are the benefits deriving from the simultaneous breast reconstruction. The immediate treatment helps woman to face the emotional shock from cancer and makes easier the surgeon´s work, as in the mastectomy surgery it is possible and better to preserve tissue to reconstruct the organ than wait for a more complex surgery later. However, the possibility of immediate reconstruction after the removal depends on the stage of the disease.
The devastating emotional effects of mastectomy may be lessened through an early reconstruction. Nearly every person who has had a mastectomy is a candidate for some method of breast reconstruction. Breast reconstruction during mastectomy can reduce the emotional impact of losing the organ.
The mammary reconstruction patient
How do I know if I am a candidate for breast reconstruction surgery?
The oncologist frequently refers the patient to the plastic surgeon, when she has not been treated immediately after mastectomy. For breast reconstruction the cancerous lesion must have been completely removed. During consultation, after a thorough physical examination, the doctor may evaluate the possibility of mammary reconstruction.
Most common women reasons for mammary reconstruction after a mastectomy include:
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Feeling complete again. |
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Recovering femininity. |
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Avoiding the use of external prosthesis. |
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Being able to use different clothes. |
Psychological and emotional effects of breast reconstruction
For women the emotional and psychological impact from mastectomy is the consequence of a self-image anatomical alteration. Breasts are organs symbol of femininity, sexuality, and fertility. The psychological trauma is therefore centered on the patient’s body self-perception that may reach significant levels.
Most women who have had mastectomy suffer a very traumatic experience. Diagnosis of breast cancer changes woman´s life, and it is a major matter of concern and uncertainty. But dealing with mastectomy may be even a most painful event. This is a very difficult process which depends more of a positive self-concept than the body image. The patient´s partner support seems to be a decisive factor in this process.
Despite the emotional and psychological complications of this process, the patient should know that reconstruction after mastectomy is possible in nearly all cases. Surgeon`s commitment is to perform the appropriate technique for the most realistic results. Today´s post-mastectomy breast reconstruction employs a variety of plastic surgery techniques in an effort to restore a breast as closely as possible to former appearance. The procedure may be performed using free flaps, cutaneous flaps, muscular or musculocutaneous flaps. However, it is important for patients to understand that nothing compares to mother nature´s work. While it is possible to achieve reasonable aesthetical results, these results will never reach the perfection of the original organ. A woman who wants to have a breast reconstruction must be realistic about what to expect from reconstruction. For breast reconstruction patients, the medical oncologists and psychologists work in conjunction with the plastic surgeon to plan patient management.
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