Breast Reconstruction AudioHealth Library Topic 1111 Breast Reconstruction Breast reconstruction is a popular procedure today for breast cancer patients who have had a mastectomy. With advances in plastic surgery almost any woman can have breast reconstruction done regardless of age, the type of surgery performed, or the number of years since her operation. Reconstruction can even be done on radiation damaged, grafted ,thin, or tight skin, or in the absence of chest muscles. Having reconstruction is a personal decision and may not be for everyone.
Some women prefer to wear a prosthesis instead of having reconstructive surgery.
A prosthesis is an imitation breast that either attaches to the skin on the chest or slips into a bra that a woman can wear. Among the advantages of reconstruction is the re-creation of the breast shape and the return of cleavage. It also provides freedom from a prosthesis and may restore a sense of physical wholeness. A reconstructed breast may look like a normal breast, and will feel normal to the touch, but because of the change in the nerves in the reconstructed breast, the breast itself has little feeling. Depending on the recommendations of the surgeon, the reconstruction may be done at the same time as the mastectomy or it may be delayed until after the mastectomy incision is well healed, which is usually about 3 to 6 months after the mastectomy, or until any radiation therapy or chemotherapy is done.