Feb
my mum has had cancer twice on the same breast and now is considering reconstructive surgery on the “good breast” because its now a lot larger. so we’re wondering if theres anyone out there whos had this done, can offer any advice about what to anticipate, scarring ect. she obviously has severe scaring on the cancerous breast and had a lot of surgery so wants to know if its worth more operations and more scarring. all advice is welcome. Thank you
Answer:
There are 4 different types of reconstructive breast surgery.
If the good breast is larger and she wants to match the other she has the ability to simply opt for a mastopexy which is a breast lift/reduction. Usually the scars are hidden under the mammary fold and form an “anchor” up to the areola/nipple area. If she wants to remove the entire breast she can opt for a Tram which is very extensive and is skin and muscle taken from the abdomen forming a more mature looking breast but this is a very lengthy surgery and requires much “down” time. She could also opt for latissimus dorsi flap but it also requires more than one surgery. Then she could remove the good breast and simply have a tissue expander put in and make visits to the surgeons office where they would provide expansion sessions using saline to pump up the breast through a port until she recieves a desired matching look( then the tissue expander is removed and a permanent smaller implant is placed)….
If she has a good breast and isn’t in fear of cancer occurring in this area my recommendation would be to opt for the mastopexy( lift/reduction)
Visit the ASAPS page for accredited plastic surgeons and do a search on lifts andf reductions for pics you can view. There is also a web site titled Makemeheal.com about personal experiences with plastic and reconstructive surgery. If you have further questions I would be more than glad to help you. Feel free to email me at okelliemae@hotmail.com. I have over 14 years in plastic and reconstructive surgery as a patient coordinator, esthetician and medical assistant.
Good luck to you!
Answer:
it's hard to say whether it will be worth it. There’s a recovery period associated with breast augmentation/surgery. I would consult her oncologist about whether they might like to remove the breast tissue from the “good” one in case it turns out to be cancerous, I'd hate for her to have the plastic surgery only to have to get cancer in it. Run it by your physician to see if she could get the other one removed too as a precaution and then the plastic surgeon could augment them both so they're even and she's free of potentially cancerous breast tissue.
as for scarring from reconstructive surgery it depends on how good your plastic surgeon is, their job however is aesthetics so scarring is against what they're trying to do. Lots of time they'll go in through the belly button so scarring (if any) isn't visible or they'll go in through the armpit or cut out the nipple and then replace it when they're done. These are all questions your oncologist, plastic surgeon, and primary care physician can talk to you about
Answer:
I can comprehend why you mom is considering this surgery. I just turned 37 and I’m a 1 year survivor. I had a lumpectomy for my surgery but have since chosen to have a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy. I am doing so because I’m willing to do anything it takes to try and prevent a recurrence. Your mother has gone through it twice so her wanting to get the surgery makes sense. Even if this is just for her piece of mind, its worth it. Scars are just scars, they dont define you. But in the end it it her decision. I would just support her with what ever decision she makes and encourage her to make what ever choice that’ll make her the happiest, feel the most secure and give her the most piece of mind.