Many surgeons concentrate on the surgical removal of the breast when cancer has been diagnosed. We encourage these surgeons to consider the concept of immediate reconstruction after mastectomy. Women are often discouraged from considering breast reconstruction or are told to do it at some time in the future. We believe that breast reconstruction is not only feasible in most cases, but is also best performed at the time of the mastectomy.
Superb reconstruction is possible without the customary scars of mastectomy if the breast cancer surgeon and plastic surgeon collaborate and perform combined, or oncoplastic, surgery.
Breast reconstruction is safe
Breast reconstruction does not interfere with cancer treatment. Reconstruction can play an important role in the healing process. We encourage breast cancer patients to consult with a plastic surgeon along with their general surgeon before mastectomy.
Your options
There are four main options for breast reconstruction: immediate placement of an implant as used in breast augmentation, using a soft tissue expander which will later be replaced by an implant, using tissue from your abdomen or back to create a flap, or a combination of an implant with your own tissue.
What we do differently
The most aesthetically successful reconstruction begins with the technique of mastectomy. Dr. Bensimon is a pioneer encouraging surgeons to alter the scar patterns of mastectomy in order to obtain a more natural result of the reconstruction.
In 1995, Dr. Bensimon published an article in the “Annals of Plastic Surgery” entitled “Improved Aesthetics in Breast Reconstruction: Modified Mastectomy Incision and Immediate Autologous Tissue Reconstruction” (vol. 34, no.3, March 1995). Here Dr. Bensimon describes the advantages of utilizing a skin sparing mastectomy to improve the results of breast reconstruction.
The “Skin Sparing Mastectomy” is a technique used for removing the breast and nipple while preserving the skin and natural contour of the breast. The technique avoids the usual and obvious transverse scars of standard mastectomy.
If you have already had your mastectomy and the skin sparing technique is no longer an option, breast reconstruction is still a viable option.
The consultation
It is common to feel overwhelmed and indecisive in difficult times, especially when cancer has been diagnosed. A skin sparing mastectomy will leave options for immediate or future reconstruction, preserving the breast skin with no added concerns about recovery.
Next steps
As soon as the diagnosis of breast cancer has been made, you should be consulting with a surgeon. Your complete team can plan the best course of action for the most optimal result. We encourage women to learn about all of the options available and insist that our patients play a key role in the decision making process.
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