Reconstruction decisions

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southwest
southwest Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am a 59 year old female just biopsied for calcification clusters x2 in a breast that had breast cancer 3 years ago and was treated with lumpectomy, radiation and chemo. The surgeon says if this is hyperplasia or a recurrance I should consider bilateral mastectomies. I'm trying to decide if i want implants or a tram. Help!

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  • Sandis
    Sandis Member Posts: 85
    #2
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    I had a bilateral mastectomy with tram flap reconstruction two years ago. I'm very happy with the results. the surgery was difficult but I recovered quickly and am glad I had it done. I'm sure others are happy with their implants and some are not happy with their decisions, so I guess its just very personal. When you speak to the plastic surgeon she/he can help you know if you are a good candidate for each procedure. I definately have a peace of mind to have bilateral mastectomy and have no regrets. Sandi
  • littlelindalu
    littlelindalu Member Posts: 25
    #3
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    It is up to you as this is your body. Both choices have their advantages and disadvantages. The implant surgery is shorter, but you will be replacing implants whenever they fail -- so you are looking at a number of repeat surgeries during your lifetime with implants. The body tissue transfer surgeries tend to mean that you are done (except that you will need a shorter follow up surgery within the 1st yr) but they are a lot longer and have several incisions to heal. You can look them all up on the internet to see what each procedure involves before making your decision.
  • tlmac
    tlmac Member Posts: 272 Member
    #4
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    If you're considering options, you might want to look into the DIEP flap. Proponents claim less pain and less down time. It also saves the abdominal muscles.
    Good luck.
    terri
  • SanFranciscan
    SanFranciscan Member Posts: 9
    #5
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    I'm 54 and had a bilateral mastectomy with immediate DIEP reconstruction a year ago. I'm very pleased with the results. However, the surgery is more complex than a TRAM, and can be longer -- I was in surgery for over 12 hours. My recovery was smooth, with no problems, and I was able to resume gentle yoga 2 weeks after the surgery. It's a very personal decision -- the most important factor to me was to have a "natural feeling" breast that would still be "all me" so that guided my decision. I also had enough stomach fat to construct 2 breasts making me a good candidate for the procedure. If I hadn't been able to find a good doctor to perform the DIEP, I would have gone with the TRAM. Best of luck to you whatever decision you make.

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