Patient - Breast Reconstruction

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Before

This woman was diagnosed with cancer of her right breast and decided to have a bilateral matectomy (removal of breast) to treat the cancer and, hopefully, avoid future breast cancer. She desired breast reconstruction. She presented some formidable challenges to immediate reconstruction because of her very large (40 DDD) breasts. She said that she had considered a breast reduction in the past because they were so heavy and uncomfortable. Her situation was not ideal but I offered her my best effort at placing tissue expanders at the time of her mastectomies. Because of her size, I marked her as for a breast reduction. This made her surgeon's job easier as it gave him better exposure for the cancer surgery. I removed the nipple/areolae to be put back as grafts at the end of the procedure. 

After

She came through surgery beautifully. Her reconstruction was completed in two operations. The first operation was placing the tissue expanders at the time of her mastectomy. She expanded very nicely to a volume of 660 cc on the right and 690 cc on the left. The second stage was done 3 months later when I removed the expanders and placed permanent implants. Her implants are Mentor MemoryGel round, smooth, ultra High profile gel implants and both are 650 cc in size. She looks more like a breast reduction patient than a reconstruction after mastectomy patient. As her scars fade more, her result will be even better. Her breasts are very soft and feel quite natural.