Question:
I have cancer in one of my breasts and I am planning a mastectomy. I have been going back and forth over whether or not to have breast reconstruction and I think I have decided now to go ahead with it. I was recently doing some research and read where most women have to go through multiple surgeries to reconstruct the breast. Why is this? Can it ever be done in just one surgery?
Answer:
There are multiple techniques to reconstruct a breast. It can be done using an implant technique or using techniques that utilize the patient’s own tissues. The implant procedures do involve multiple steps because first an expander needs to be placed to stretch out the skin followed by removal of the expander and placement of the permanent implant and there can be other procedures for symmetry and touchup such as liposuction, contouring or nipple reconstruction. Procedures that are done using the patient’s own tissue such as the Tram flap which is a flap that uses skin and fat from the lower abdomen to create a breast can usually be done in one stage, however there are usually smaller second or third stages that again involve contouring, shaping, liposuction, touchup, or reconstruction of a nipple or an areola. A breast reconstruction is a very complex procedure and again no matter what the technique used, a patient could anticipate that there could be small touch ups or other procedures in the future.
About the Author: Dr. Edwin Williams
Dr. Edwin Williams is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who founded The Williams Center in 1993. He has performed over 10,000 facial plastic surgery procedures and has pioneered the deep plane facelift. He served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery for over a decade, and served as President from 2015-2016. In 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Dr. Williams earned the Castle Connelly Top Doctors award in New York Facial Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Edwin F. Williams III attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1982. He began medical school at the State University of Buffalo School of Medicine and received his Doctor of Medicine in 1986.
Dr. Williams is actively involved in teaching facial plastic and reconstruction surgery to the residents of the Albany Medical Center and is former Chief of the Section of Facial and Plastic Reconstruction Surgery at Albany Medical Center where he received an academic appointment of Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery.