MedlinePlus: Breast Reconstruction

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Photograph of a gloved pair of hands holding a breast implant

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Breast Reconstruction

Breast reconstruction is surgery to rebuild a breast's shape after a mastectomy. It cannot give a woman back her breast - a reconstructed breast does not have natural sensations. However, the surgery offers a result that looks like a breast. Most women who had breast reconstruction are glad they did.

In breast reconstruction, a surgeon forms a breast mound by using an implant or tissues from the belly, back or buttocks. Implants are silicone sacs filled with salt water or silicone gel. The type of reconstruction you get depends on your body type, age and cancer treatment.

Breast reconstruction takes more than one surgery. Extra steps may include:

Adding a nipple
Changing the shape or size of the reconstructed breast
Operating on the opposite breast for a better match

National Cancer Institute

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Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy(American Cancer Society)

Basics	Learn More	Multimedia & Cool Tools
Overviews	Specific Conditions Related Issues	Pictures & Photographs Videos
Research	Reference Shelf	For You
Clinical Trials Research Journal Articles	Directories Organizations Law and Policy Statistics	No links available

Overviews
- Breast Reconstruction(Susan G. Komen for the Cure)
- Breast Reconstruction(American Society of Plastic Surgeons)
- Reconstruction(Breastcancer.org)
Specific Conditions
- Breast Augmentation(American Society of Plastic Surgeons)
- Breast Implants: A Choice Between Saline and Silicone(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Breast Reconstruction with Breast Implants(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Breast Reduction Surgery: Decrease Breast Size, Ease Discomfort(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Related Issues
- Breast Implant Questions and Answers (2006)(Center for Drug Evaluation and Research)
- Breast Reconstruction and Prosthesis(Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - Links to PDF
  Also available in Spanish
Pictures & Photographs
- Pictures of Breast Reconstruction(Breastcancer.org)
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Videos
- Breast Cancer Treatment(OR-Live) - One hour program - 10/18/2007
- Breast Reconstruction with Tissue Expansion(OR-Live) - One hour program - 7/31/2008
- Breast Reconstruction: Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator - One hour program - 1/11/2008
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Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Breast Implants(National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Mammaplasty(National Institutes of Health)
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Research
- National Cancer Institute Breast Implant Study(National Cancer Institute)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Directories
- Find a Plastic Surgeon(American Society of Plastic Surgeons)
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Organizations
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- National Cancer Institute
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Law and Policy
- 1998 Federal Breast Reconstruction Law(American Society of Plastic Surgeons)
- State Laws on Breast Reconstruction(American Society of Plastic Surgeons)
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Statistics
- 2007 Reconstructive Surgery Procedures(American Society of Plastic Surgeons) - Links to PDF
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