Surgery with immidiate reconstruction

alpainsocal
alpainsocal Member Posts: 1
in Breast Cancer #1

hi all,

I have been recently diagnosed with ILC and went through uni MX on my left breast. We are still waiting for the detailed path reports. I had requested my surgeon for options for immidiate reconstruction but he said that since i will have to go through radiation, thats not an option for me. However, i see several of the fellow BC patients here who went through immidiate reconstruction with expanders. Can someone pls give me more information on when is immidiate reconstruction a good option? I am just 42 and still digesting the living with MX idea.

Thanks a lot..

Comments

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #2
     NO advice-I had 2

     NO advice-I had 2 lumpecomties and radiation once but never reconstruction-I am sure you'll get great advice here from others..

     

    thinking of you..Laughing

    Denise

  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #3
    I originally had a mastectomy

    I originally had a mastectomy and, just like your case, I was told immediate reconstruction was not a good idea because radiation can really compromise circulation and healing.  After 2 sisters turned up with breast cancer years later, my docs decided that I should have a preventive mastectomy on the other breast.  That time, I had immediate reconstruction because there was no cancer to deal with, but I had an SGAP free flap (tissue and blood vessels used were from my butt).  I didn't want implants (had pain and scarring with them before and docs said it would happen again), so I chose this surgery.  It has been a real blessing because it looks great and I have had no pain or problems at all.  The only downside is that I wish they had taken a flap from the other butt cheek too...lol.

  • dthompson
    dthompson Member Posts: 149
    #4
    My wife had Chemo, double

    My wife had Chemo, double mast with tissue expanders then rads. She originally wanted implants put in immediatly after the Mast. Her plastic surgeon said absolutly not as the rads would damage (constrict)the tissue too  much for immediate  implants. The expanders were gradually filled during and after rads. I would not recommend immediate implants after the mast. My wifes plastic surgeon is the cheif of plastic surgery at VCU in Richmond Va so we trusted her decision.

  • debsweb18
    debsweb18 Member Posts: 191 Member
    #5
    Hi all!

    I haven't been here for a while and thought this would be a good place to jump back in. I had an immediate implant after a unilateral mx then had radiation. I had a lift of my other side and nipple reconstruction.  Due to shrinkage from rads my implant was exchanged pushing up the reconstructed nipple too high. I also had a re lift of the other side and Fat grafting to round out the cancer side. Lessons learned after going to a new PS who I absolutely love (and he's cute as well). 

    1. Radiated implants don't give the best results. Fat grafting won't help because the skin is too tight and has nowhere to go.

    3. Don't get reconstructed nipple until you're sure everything else is done and you're happy with the results.

    4. Although expanders don't sound like a piece of cake it's probably the best way to have "immediate" reconstruction and wait until radiation is complete before getting the permanent implant.

    I am almost starting over with a new Ps. I started with a 3rd re lift of my good side.  Finally level! This was my 6th surgery during 2 1/2 years. 

    Since I was so happy with the results I am now going to have the first nipple and mx incision removed and have a lattissimus flap surgery. My ps said he can make a good nipple with an implant under radiated skin but can make a great nipple after the flap surgery!.

    He will decide during surgery whether I can have an immediate implant or if an expander would be better. He'll also determine at the same time if he needs to do any tweaking to the other side. 

    He does his own tattooing and even told me he'd design a tattoo with me if I want a little more than the nipple color.

    This will be my most intensive surgery I'll be in the hospital 2-3 days and out of work at least 2 weeks. 

     

    I hope this helps. Good luck to you!

  • Blythe
    Blythe Member Posts: 5
    #6
    Immediate Reconstruction

    I had a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with tissue expanders in July 2013. I went through 5 months of chemo and just finished 7 weeks of radiation. They can do radiation with tissue expanders, of course! The only thing is that now I have to wait 4-6 months until my implant exchange surgery, enough time for my skin to fully heal from radiation. So I will have had my tissure expanders for almost a year and a half by the time I get my implants, but they aren't so uncomfortable as they used to be.

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