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
- Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_6x_breast_reconstruction_after_mastectomy_5.asp
- Breast Reconstruction(Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/BreastReconstruction.html
- Breast Reconstruction(American Society of Plastic Surgeons) - http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Patients_and_Consumers/Procedures/Reconstructive_Procedures/Breast_Reconstruction.html
- Reconstruction(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/reconstruction/
- Breast Augmentation(American Society of Plastic Surgeons) - http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Patients_and_Consumers/Procedures/Cosmetic_Procedures/Breast_Augmentation.html
- Breast Implants: A Choice Between Saline and Silicone(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/breast-implants/WO00052/METHOD=print
- Breast Reconstruction with Breast Implants(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/breast-reconstruction/MY00207/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Breast Reduction Surgery: Decrease Breast Size, Ease Discomfort(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/breast-reduction/WO00021/METHOD=print
- Breast Implant Questions and Answers (2006)(Center for Drug Evaluation and Research) - http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/qa2006.html
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Breast Reconstruction and Prosthesis(Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - Links to PDF - http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/Content_Binaries/806-395a.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/Content_Binaries/806-395-SP.pdf
- Pictures of Breast Reconstruction(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/pictures/reconstruction/index.jsp
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Breast Cancer Treatment(OR-Live) - One hour program - 10/18/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/thj_1858/rnh.cfm?id=651
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Breast Reconstruction with Tissue Expansion(OR-Live) - One hour program - 7/31/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/syl_2399/rnh.cfm?id=778
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Breast Reconstruction: Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator - One hour program - 1/11/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/chp_1896/rnh.cfm?id=677
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Breast Implants
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=%22Breast+Implants%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Mammaplasty(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=Mammaplasty
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National Cancer Institute Breast Implant Study(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/siliconefactsheet
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Advantages of preoperative computed tomography in deep inferior epigastric artery... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19337083&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Mastectomy scars following breast reconstruction: should routine histologic analysis be... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19337082&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Shaping the breast in aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery: an... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19319042&tool=MedlinePlus
- Breast Reconstruction -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=mammaplasty[majr:noexp]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Breast implants -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=breast+implants[majr]+OR+breast+implantation[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Find a Plastic Surgeon(American Society of Plastic Surgeons) - http://www1.plasticsurgery.org/ebusiness4/PatientConsumers/findasurgeon.aspx
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons - http://www.plasticsurgery.org/
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National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/
- 1998 Federal Breast Reconstruction Law(American Society of Plastic Surgeons) - http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Patients_and_Consumers/Procedures/Reconstructive_Procedures/Breast_Reconstruction/Breast_Reconstruction_Resources/1998_Federal_Breast_Reconstruction_Law.html
- State Laws on Breast Reconstruction(American Society of Plastic Surgeons) - http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Patients_and_Consumers/Procedures/Reconstructive_Procedures/Breast_Reconstruction/Breast_Reconstruction_Resources/State_Laws_on_Breast_Reconstruction.html
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2007 Reconstructive Surgery Procedures(American Society of Plastic Surgeons) - Links to PDF - http://www.plasticsurgery.org/d.xml?comp=x3284
- Breast Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastcancer.html
- Breast Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastdiseases.html
- Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/plasticandcosmeticsurgery.html
- Female Reproductive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/femalereproductivesystem.html
- Surgery and Rehabilitation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/surgeryandrehabilitation.html
- Women - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/women.html