Breast reconstruction surgery effectively reconstructs your breasts to achieve your desired results. It is an area of surgery in which there is not one standard treatment pathway or a singular fixed procedure that suits all patients. Therefore, due to the complex nature of breast reconstructions, each surgery is tailored to suit the patient’s specific needs.
Across the last thirty years, there has been significant change to various breast reconstruction procedures. Nowadays, results obtained now are much more aesthetic than those achieved as recent as ten years ago. Advancements in areas including fat transfer, nipple and areola tattooing and refinements in free tissue transfer, results have significantly improved and surgery is now able to achieve must stronger results for the patient and their specific condition.
Traditionally, Breast reconstruction surgery Melbourne is divided into two main groups. These are breast reconstruction using existing tissue or breast implants or tissue expanding devices. For the procedure of Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap (DIEP Flap),the time varies depending on whether the surgery will occur on both or only on one breast. Reconstructions on one breast takes about five to six hours, and bilateral reconstruction on both breasts takes approximately seven to eight hours.
In the case that the patient’s own tissue is used, then the surgery is more extensive and is a considerably larger operation. However, the reconstructed breast tends to feel more natural and is generally better matched to the existing contra- lateral breast.
Alternatively, reconstruction which involves implants or tissue expanders being tends to be simpler and more time efficient. However, the major disadvantage of this option is that usually implants need to be replaced after 15-20 years.
Moreover, various minor adjustments to the breast over its lifetime must often be made in order to maintain symmetry between the breasts. And, for patients carrying high risk genes or having both breasts reconstructed, prostheses are often used and achieve aesthetic and desirable results.