Mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast, done in most cases for breast cancer. The reconstruction is an optional thing that can be done at the time of the mastectomy or in a delayed fashion, months later. Reconstruction is typically done by a plastic surgeon. Most times the breast surgeon will work with the plastic surgeon, especially in immediate reconstruction, under the same anesthesia. It can be done with a saline implant or build the breast with your own muscle tissue, taken from the abdominal or chest wall.
Immediate reconstruction does sometimes complicate the healing of the mastectomy.
Oftentimes fluid builds up under a mastectomy incision. The Reconstruction with muscle tissue is a fairly involved procedure, you do have a second incision to heal and it does involve more pain and discomfort after the surgery. And leaves you with another scar. The advantage of putting up with the muscle Reconstruction is that it allows you to get a more realistic Reconstruction of the breast. Again, reconstruction can be done at the same time, no wait whatsoever.