After reading about the case of Giuliana Rancic and her impending double mastectomy, I became aware of breast reconstruction and that there are actually many types.
1. IMPLANT PROCEDURES. Implant means placing something on the breast area. Usually, a saline-filled implant is used. It is actually a silicone shell that is filled with salt water or sterile saline. Others use the silicone gel-filled implants. The one-stage breast reconstruction may be done immediately after the mastectomy. The general surgeon first removes the breast tissue then the plastic surgeon will place a breast implant on the area to to form the breast again. That means two surgeons will do the double procedure side by side. But at least, you only get one dose of general anesthesia and a single use of the operating room.
2. TISSUE FLAP PROCEDURES. As the name suggests, these breast reconstruction procedures use your own body’s tissue from the tummy, back, buttocks, or thighs to rebuild the breast(s). The two most common types of this operation are the TRAM flap (or transverse rectus abdominis muscle flap) and the latissimus dorsi flap. In the TRAM flap, tissue from the tummy area is used while in the latissimus dorsi flap, tissue from the upper back is utilized. These procedures leave two scars–at the reconstructed breast and the area where the tissue was taken.
Newer Breast Reconstruction Flap Procedures
1. DIEP (deep inferior epigastric artery perforator) flap. The DIEP flap also uses fat and skin from the tummy area. But unlike in the TRAM flap, the muscle is not used for the breast. The happy side effect of this is, it is like having a tummy tuck because there will be less skin and fat in the lower abdomen).
2. Gluteal free flap (superior gluteal artery perforator) flap. This uses the tissue from the buttocks, including the gluteal muscle. This is an option for women who do not have a lot of tummy fat or because of other reasons.
There is so much to breast reconstruction that I know nothing about. But thanks to medical technology in the field of cosmetic surgery, women who had mastectomy can have new breasts, even for aesthetic purposes only.
