Breast Reconstruction After Breast Cancer
Recently, breast reconstruction is performed with very high success through plastic surgery for patients who have lost their breasts upon breast cancer or for other reasons.
Many options are available for breast reconstruction.
They can be classified under two main groups as breast reconstruction using the person’s own tissues and breast repairs using breast prostheses and tissue expanders.
Abdominal region, back region, buttocks, iliac region and similar regions of the person can be utilized for the breast reconstructions performed by using the person’s own tissues. I often use the abdominal region and the back region. While tissues can be extracted from the abdomen region through use of microsurgery methods, it is also possible to transfer the tissues by ensuring reliable blood supply in two stages.
It is also possible to reconstruct the breast by implanting a prosthesis under the tissues transplanted from the back region alone if those tissues are not sufficient.
Tissue expanders or prostheses are preferred for patients who do not have enough tissue in the breast area after surgery, who have sufficient breast skin, but do not wish their own tissue to be used, or for patients whose own tissue is not compatible for the procedure.
A new nipple is constructed for the patients whose nipple cannot be preserved after 3-6 months following the reconstruction of breast and the asymmetries with the other breast are eliminated.
It is best for the physician and the patient to make a mutual decision on of all these operations to be carried out. However, I state to the patients who will undergo breast reconstruction that we will move in collaboration in a long journey together, this journey will take 1-1.5 years, we may stumble and fall back to the beginning in that journey, but we will complete it at the end. I would like to say that we can go on the journey together if you are ready to collaborate with me and if you are ready for this journey, and to assure you that I will never let you down as long as you do not let go of my hand. To remind you once again, this is a difficult path that is full of obstacles to overcome. I consider that every woman has the right to regain her breasts, which are the symbol of femininity, motherhood and fertility and I believe that they shall be provided with support to the end.