Breast Reconstruction

It is one of the important areas of female sexuality and appearance, as well as breastfeeding and breastfeeding purposes after childbirth. Uniformly shaped and sized, symmetrical and healthy breasts have a great role in ensuring a self-confident and happy life in women. In women who do not have one or both breasts at birth, after trauma or most commonly after mastectomy surgery (breast tissue removal), this deficiency can manifest itself psychologically, causing problems in the choice of clothing and sexual life. Patients may develop 'post-mastectomy depression'. With the increasing surgical techniques and successful results, the reconstruction of the missing breast tissue in women, in other words breast reconstruction, arouses an increasing amount of desire.
Who can have breast reconstruction?
Breast reconstruction can be performed on any woman who does not have a single or double breast and whose general health can tolerate the surgery. In the vast majority of patients who have undergone mastectomy, there is no medical obstacle to breast reconstruction. Different methods may be more suitable for different patients and may yield more successful results.
Effect of breast reconstruction on breast cancer treatment
Breast reconstruction has no known risk of breast cancer recurrence. In addition, radiotherapy (radiation therapy) or chemotherapy (drug therapy) to be performed in the treatment is not affected by breast reconstruction. The methods used in the follow-up of breast cancer can also be applied after breast reconstruction. However, MRI examination is more appropriate instead of mammography for follow-up in patients undergoing reconstruction with breast prosthesis (silicone).
Breast reconstruction after mastectomy can be done in two main ways
With prosthesis and tissue expanders
with autologous tissues
It can be planned in the early and late period;
Early reconstruction: Breast reconstruction can be performed after mastectomy or at the same time as mastectomy. With the increase in early diagnosis in breast cancer diagnoses, 'instant reconstruction' applications have started to increase. The immediate reconstruction option, performed in the same surgery as mastectomy, is more successful in terms of post-operative psychosocial adjustment of the patient and eliminates the need for a separate surgery for reconstruction. Immediate reconstruction may be easier for the surgeon, and the aesthetic results are better. The disadvantage is that breast cancer surgery and reconstruction surgery take a longer time together and the recovery period is longer.
Late reconstruction: Breast reconstruction can be postponed to a later time after mastectomy, with the recommendation of the general surgeon and oncologist, or because the patient does not demand it, is overweight, smokes, has high blood pressure, and cannot tolerate a long operation time. In this case, some patients may concentrate on the treatment of the actual breast disease. It may be more appropriate to determine the exact stage of the disease and to plan radiotherapy, if necessary, together with the surgery for breast cancer. In this case, reconstruction is delayed to avoid the side effects of radiation. In our country, breast reconstruction is usually performed in this way at a later date as 'late'.