Breast surgery can be done with two options: a woman can undergo breast reconstruction surgery with implants or use her own tissue. For an autologous reconstruction, the doctor can use the woman's lower abdominal wall segment or back muscle and fat to create new breast tissue. A mastectomy can be done on a woman who is nipple or skin-sparing. Both methods can cause scarring. Breast surgery is not for everyone.
Breast reduction surgery
Most breast reduction surgeries can be performed outpatient. Patients may experience swelling and discoloration immediately after the procedure. This swelling will gradually disappear. In a few days, the stitches and bandages can be removed and the patient shouldn't resume strenuous activities within one month. Although a breast reduction may cause discomfort, the breasts will soon look normal again. Six months to one year will pass before you can see the results.
Following the surgery, the surgeon will place an incision in the skin along the natural crease of the breasts. Excess skin and fat will be removed through these incisions. Some women may also have the areolae lifted. The surgeon will close your incision with either dissolvable external or internal sutures. A night stay may be necessary for the surgical recovery. The patient will be discharged afterward. It will take two to five hours to complete the surgery.
Nipple-sparing mastectomy
An alternative to radiation therapy for breast cancer is a Nipple-sparing mammectomy. This procedure preserves breasts that are naturally beautiful and minimizes radiation exposure. However, not all women who undergo this surgery will want to avoid radiation. Around 30% of new cases might not have radiation treatment after having a complete mastectomy. In general, this type of surgery is a viable option for women with large or small breasts.
Although this type of surgery may not be widely available, the results are excellent. It preserves the entire envelope of breast skin, including the nipple and the darker circle of skin surrounding it. A breast reconstruction is usually performed right after a NSM. While it isn't widely used for mastectomy it has been gaining popularity as an alternative to more traditional methods of treating breast cancer. Its benefits outweigh its disadvantages.
Skin-sparing mastectomy
A skin-sparing breastectomy is a procedure that preserves all the skin on the breasts, except the nipple or areola. This allows the surgeon not to scare the breast. The surgeon will use a flap or implant to replace the lost volume. There are two types: the TRAM or Latissimus skin-sparing mastopexy. Both uses the tissues and muscle of the body to reconstruct the breast.
Skin-sparing mastectomy has many advantages, including the preservation and protection of the native skin envelope and inframammary fold. By preserving the native skin layer and the inframammaryfold, the procedure can improve the cosmetic outcomes of the breast reconstruction. This reduces the need to perform contralateral symmetrizing. There are some risks involved with skin-sparing mastectomy.
Modified radical mastectomy
You may be concerned about the risks associated to a radical mastectomy. A modified radical mastectomy reduces the amount of tissue removed from the breast and lymph nodes. This type of surgery preserves breast tissue. Not all surgeons are qualified to perform these types of procedures. Before deciding on which procedure to have, you should consult your doctor.
While most hospitals are adopting a traditional modified radical mastectomy, it is not yet widely used. Modified radical mastectomy techniques traditionally focus on protecting the anterior and intercostobrachial nervous systems. These nerves should be preserved for pure sensory functions. These techniques are very similar to the ones used in Patey's, Meyer's, Halsted and Meyer. Moore61 in 1867 described a similar approach.