Breast Repair (Reconstruction)
Breast reconstruction is an operation usually applied to individuals who have lost breast tissue due to health problems such as breast cancer. In this operation, medically known as breast reconstruction, various medical procedures are performed to reconstruct the breast form. Depending on the situation and the patient’s wishes, effective and reliable medical methods such as autologous tissue transfer are utilized for breast reconstruction.
What is Breast Repair?
Breast reconstruction is a surgery performed on individuals who need breast tissue reconstruction due to various reasons such as breast cancer. Within the scope of breast reconstruction, procedures such as breast repair with prosthesis or surgical tissue transfer to the breast area are applied. Since each of these procedures are highly sensitive medical interventions, they are interventions that should be performed by plastic surgery specialists who specialize in breast reconstruction. Therefore, you should not risk your health by agreeing with reliable physicians such as Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery Specialist Op. Dr. Özgen Kıvanç for this operation.
Breast Repair Application Methods
Methods of breast repair may vary depending on the reason for the operation. For example, it may be necessary to apply with a prosthesis because some or all of the breast tissues of individuals who need repair after a masectomy have been removed. In addition, for individuals who want to have breast repair due to traumatic situations such as accidents, breast repair with tissue transplantation method can be utilized.
Therefore, the application method or methods to be used for breast repair are determined in line with the general health status and needs of the patient.
Who is Breast Repair Suitable for?
Breast reconstruction can be considered suitable for anyone who needs breast reconstruction for a variety of reasons. From individuals who need repair after a mastectomy for breast cancer to people who are congenitally unable to complete breast development, many individuals may be suitable candidates for breast repair. In addition, it is important that individuals are not undergoing chemotherapy, pregnancy or breastfeeding, which cause changes in breast tissue and create extra sensitivity.
Breast Repair Candidate Criteria
- As with any surgical procedure, certain eligibility criteria must be met for breast reconstruction surgery. The eligibility criteria for breast reconstruction are as follows:
- Being between the ages of 18 and 65 (In extreme cases, individuals over the age of 65 may also be eligible.)
- Not having extreme health problems such as diabetes
- Having completed chemotherapy (This is a valid criterion for individuals who require aesthetic intervention following breast surgery.)
Conditions Unsuitable for Breast Repair
There are several conditions that are not suitable for breast repair. The first situation is that the individual has extreme health problems such as diabetes, which can prevent surgical operations. Another situation is that the individual is under the age of 18, because being over the age of 18 is a necessary condition both from a legal point of view and in terms of the completion of the development of breast tissue. The last situation that is not suitable for breast repair is if the individual is undergoing chemotherapy, because according to many doctors, it is necessary to wait for the completion of treatments such as chemotherapy for breast repair.
Breast Repair Methods
Many different methods can be used for breast repair. The main reason for this is that breast repair is performed to compensate for the loss of breast tissue. In some patients, loss of breast tissue occurs after operations such as masectomy, while in others, traumatic situations such as accidents cause loss of breast tissue. Therefore, a selection of breast repair methods is made in accordance with patient profiles and needs. In addition to all these, the most commonly used and effective breast repair methods are breast repair with silicone implants and breast repair with autogenous tissue.
Breast Repair with Silicone Implants
In the silicone implants breast repair method, as the name of the method can be understood, the process of gaining breast tissue with the use of implants is performed. Silicone implants, which will be used to reconstruct the breast form, are placed in the breast area together with a medical tissue expander or alone. In the method of breast repair with silicone implants, the patient is consulted on issues such as silicone implant material and dimensions in order to preserve the aesthetic appearance after breast surgery and to take into account the patient’s wishes.
Breast Repair with Autogenous Tissue
Breast reconstruction with autogenous tissue is a method that is usually used as a result of the lack of results in operations performed with silicone implants or when it is too late for breast reconstruction. In this method, tissue taken from various parts of the patient’s own body is moved to the breast area and breast tissue reconstruction is performed. In order to perform breast reconstruction with autogenous tissue, tissue is usually taken from areas such as the abdominal area.
Advantages of Breast Repair Surgery
Although breast repair surgery superficially looks like an operation that offers only aesthetic advantages, it is actually not. Individuals may experience a deficiency in breast tissue due to operations such as masectomy, trauma such as accidents or congenital deficiency. Such a deficiency causes many negative situations for women, from deterioration of aesthetic appearance to limitation in clothing selection. By performing procedures such as breast repair with prosthesis within the scope of breast repair, it becomes possible for the individual to get rid of these negative situations and achieve advantageous results. The advantages of breast repair surgery can be discussed under several headings.
Aesthetic Appearance and Emotional Healing
One of the biggest advantages of breast repair surgery, which is performed with various methods such as autologous tissue transfer, is that emotional recovery is achieved along with aesthetic appearance. Individuals, such as patients who need repair after a mastectomy, may feel negative emotions due to situations such as not feeling feminine because they have lost their breast tissues. After breast surgery, it is possible to achieve aesthetic improvement and the individual is likely to feel emotionally better with a feminine breast appearance.
Social and Psychological Benefits
Individuals who have lost breast tissue for various reasons may avoid meeting their social needs such as mixing with people and establishing relationships due to dissatisfaction with their own appearance. The image that the individual will have after breast reconstruction performed with effective methods such as breast repair with tissue transplantation helps the individual not to avoid situations such as meeting social needs and to feel better psychologically.
The Recovery Process After Breast Repair
How the healing process should proceed after breast repair may vary depending on the situation. Depending on the different methods to be used in breast repair surgery, such as autologous tissue transfer or breast repair with tissue transplantation, the dos and don’ts during the healing process may differ from each other. However, in general, it is necessary to pay attention to important things such as using a medical bra in the first stage of the healing process, using a sports bra in the following periods, dressing the surgical area, not neglecting cold application and taking a break from heavy exercises for a certain period of time. In addition to all these, the details of the recovery process after breast reconstruction can be discussed more informatively under several headings.
Initial Recovery and Postoperative Care
The first recovery period after breast repair is very important to avoid complications and achieve the desired results. In this process, it is necessary to apply cold to control edema and inflammation and use the medications recommended by the doctor. After breast reconstruction, it is also very important to protect the chest area from impacts and avoid causing pressure on the surgical area by avoiding lying face down. In addition, it may be possible to use a medical bra in the first period and then a sports bra that will not disturb the breast tissue.
Periodic Controls and Subsequent Monitoring
Although breast repair may seem like an aesthetic procedure, it is actually a more complicated operation. Individuals who benefit from this operation are usually people who have lost breast tissue due to serious health problems such as breast cancer. Therefore, it is very important not to skip the doctor’s controls after breast repair and to be closely monitored by the doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
In which cases is breast repair recommended?
There are several situations where breast repair is recommended. The first situation is the need for repair after a masectomy. A masectomy is an operation in which all or part of the breast tissue is removed due to breast cancer. Therefore, breast loss occurs after this operation and this situation disturbs many individuals. With breast repair surgery, the lost breast tissue is restored with methods such as breast repair with prosthesis. In addition, breast repair may also be recommended for individuals who have congenital breast tissue deficiency or who have lost breast tissue due to traumatic situations where the chest area has been hit.
How to achieve symmetry after breast repair?
Different methods can be used to achieve symmetry after breast repair. First of all, it is necessary to know that one of the main ways to achieve symmetry after breast repair is the method used in the surgery. If the method is chosen by taking into account important factors such as the level of loss of breast tissue and the needs of the patient, it becomes much easier to achieve symmetry after breast repair. In addition, various aesthetic operations such as augmentation or reduction can be applied to the operated breast or the other breast to achieve symmetry after breast repair.
Is there a loss of sensation after breast repair?
Loss of sensation can occur after breast repair. In particular, patients who need repair after a mastectomy already experience loss of sensation due to the mastectomy. With breast repair, the loss of sensation can become quite pronounced with the destruction that will occur in the area. However, loss of sensation after breast repair is usually temporary. In particular, loss of sensation after breast repair performed with autogenous tissue transfer, that is, with tissues taken from the individual’s own body, can disappear in a short time.
Can radiotherapy or chemotherapy be given after breast repair?
It is possible to receive radiotherapy or chemotherapy after breast repair. However, the majority of doctors argue that the radiotherapy or chemotherapy process must be completed before breast repair can be performed. In this way, breast repair surgery can be performed effectively and healthily after the treatment is completed without risking radiotherapy or chemotherapy processes. However, in extreme cases, it is possible to continue receiving radiotherapy or chemotherapy after breast repair.
Will there be a scar after breast repair surgery?
Whether there will be a scar after breast repair surgery may vary according to more than one situation. The possibility of scarring after breast repair surgery performed with methods such as autologous tissue transfer is low, and even if there is a scar, this scar will be at a level that will not disturb. In addition, scarring after breast tissue reconstruction procedures can be prevented with effective medications such as scar creams, or you can get rid of these scars in a permanent and healthy way by using methods such as laser treatments after scarring.
How long does breast repair surgery take?
The duration of breast repair surgery may vary depending on the situation. Many things from the methods to be used in the surgery to the experience of the plastic surgeon can cause the duration of the surgery to be longer or shorter. In addition, some breast repair cases may require more than one operation. In general, it can be seen that breast repair surgeries can take 3 – 8 hours because these operations are complicated surgical operations performed with great care. However, if you want to get clearer information about the duration of surgery, you should consult a plastic surgery specialist who will know your medical history and the procedures you will need for breast repair.
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