A person who has had a breast removed due to cancer can have a new breast reconstructed during or after the same procedure. Social awareness is increasing in parallel with advances in both the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and advances in breast reconstruction techniques. Maintaining body integrity improves a person’s self-confidence and quality of life, positively impacting treatment processes. Who is eligible? Those who are willing and able to request breast reconstruction/reconstruction with an understanding of their disease and treatment, and those who do not have any systemic conditions that would delay wound healing or prevent surgery. Early/immediate reconstruction or delayed reconstruction? The decision is based on the stage of the disease and the treatment process. Delayed reconstruction may be planned for patients undergoing radiotherapy. What are the reconstruction options? The new breast can be constructed using the patient’s own tissues (back or abdomen) or using an implant. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages and require multiple surgical sessions. What will the outcome be? While the goal is to achieve a result as close to the original breast as possible, the new breast may have visible scars and some shape differences, at least for a while. If there is a deformity in the healthy breast, it can also be corrected to achieve symmetry. What are the risks? In addition to the risks inherent in every surgery (bleeding, infection, etc.), there are also risks specific to the technique used: healing problems, capsule formation, etc.
Related terms:
Areola: the colored area around the nipple. Capsule formation: the scar tissue surrounding the implant increases and hardens over time, compressing the implant and creating deformity.
TRAM flap: a breast reconstruction technique using muscle, fat, and skin from the lower abdominal region.
DIEP flap: a technique using only fat and skin from the lower abdominal region, preserving the muscle.
LD flap: a technique using muscle and skin from the back.