Breast Reconstruction Techniques

00:00:03.640 --> 00:00:06.820 There are multiple types of breast reconstruction surgery. 00:00:06.850 --> 00:00:09.040 Breast reconstruction is for women who've 00:00:09.070 --> 00:00:14.200 had mastectomy or removal of their breast due to breast cancer, and also for women 00:00:14.230 --> 00:00:18.360 who have prophylactically or preventatively had breast surgery to 00:00:18.380 --> 00:00:21.300 remove their breasts so that they don't get breast cancer. 00:00:21.330 --> 00:00:24.080 Most, if not all, women who have breast 00:00:24.100 --> 00:00:29.440 cancer or having a mastectomy can have breast reconstruction either at the same 00:00:29.470 --> 00:00:32.400 time as their mastectomy or later down the road. 00:00:32.430 --> 00:00:35.560 The other very common procedure that we do 00:00:35.590 --> 00:00:41.760 for breast reconstruction is fixing a breast reconstruction, or a deformity that 00:00:41.790 --> 00:00:45.000 has been left over in the past from a previous surgery. 00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:46.840 When performing breast reconstruction, 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:50.680 there's typically two different kinds of options available to a patient who's going 00:00:50.710 --> 00:00:54.160 to have a mastectomy and breast reconstruction. 00:00:54.180 --> 00:00:56.360 They usually fall into one of two groups. 00:00:56.390 --> 00:01:01.800 Either you use a breast implant or you use your body's own natural tissue. 00:01:01.830 --> 00:01:04.320 Those two options are very different. 00:01:04.350 --> 00:01:10.000 The key thing is to go to a breast reconstruction specialist that can offer 00:01:10.030 --> 00:01:14.210 you both options and determine which one is best for you. 00:01:14.240 --> 00:01:19.560 Most women who are having surgery for breast cancer or to prevent breast cancer 00:01:19.590 --> 00:01:22.520 are going to be good candidates for breast reconstruction. 00:01:22.550 --> 00:01:24.440 Because there's different options 00:01:24.470 --> 00:01:29.480 available for breast reconstruction, pretty much every woman is a candidate. 00:01:29.510 --> 00:01:31.920 Some patients might be better off getting 00:01:31.950 --> 00:01:36.620 breast implants, some patients might be better off using their own tissue. 00:01:36.650 --> 00:01:38.840 In many cases, we do breast reconstruction 00:01:38.870 --> 00:01:43.840 even without a mastectomy, even without removing the breast, for women who are 00:01:43.870 --> 00:01:47.850 simply having a lumpectomy or having a small mass removed. 00:01:47.880 --> 00:01:51.720 Many options in breast reconstruction are really a personal choice. 00:01:51.750 --> 00:01:55.740 They are lifestyle choice as much as they are technical choices. 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:57.280 You might be a good candidate to have 00:01:57.310 --> 00:02:02.440 breast implants or natural tissue and ultimately the decision is going to be 00:02:02.470 --> 00:02:05.850 made on what you think is best for yourself. 00:02:05.880 --> 00:02:08.560 A breast reconstruction surgeon needs to 00:02:08.590 --> 00:02:13.320 have the ability to offer you all of the most advanced techniques, including 00:02:13.350 --> 00:02:18.240 natural tissue reconstruction, breast implant reconstruction, single stage 00:02:18.270 --> 00:02:23.080 reconstruction, revision breast reconstruction, and all of 00:02:23.110 --> 00:02:27.220 the small additional procedures that go along with it. 00:02:27.250 --> 00:02:31.280 A breast implant reconstruction might take 3 or 4 hours, whereas natural tissue 00:02:31.310 --> 00:02:34.660 reconstruction might take six, seven, or even eight hours. 00:02:34.690 --> 00:02:37.960 The recovery from those two surgeries is a little different. 00:02:37.990 --> 00:02:43.240 A breast implant reconstruction recovery might take 3 or 4 weeks, whereas natural 00:02:43.270 --> 00:02:47.500 tissue reconstruction recovery might take 4 or 5 or even six weeks. 00:02:47.530 --> 00:02:51.200 You need to take off from work about 3 or 4 weeks for a breast implant 00:02:51.230 --> 00:02:55.800 reconstruction, and about 4 or 5 to 6 weeks for natural tissue reconstruction.