Breast Reconstruction

Learn more about Atlanta breast reconstruction performed by Dr. Franklyn Elliott with Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. who has offices at Northside & Alpharetta, GA.

April 16, 2012

Can I Have Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer after Breast Implant Reconstruction?

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dr elliott Radiation is meant to kill any remaining cancer cells in the body in order to prevent a recurrence of breast cancer. While it destroys cancer cells, radiation also affects blood supply to skin and deep tissues and even causes scar tissue. A breast implant would be subject to these changes since it would be directly within the radiation treatment area. Implants placed under the pectoral (chest) muscle would be subject to scarring that occurs in the muscle.

As the skin and muscle scars after radiation therapy, so does the scar capsule surrounding the implant. This puts patients at a greater risk for capsular contracture which occurs when a patient’s body reacts to a foreign object, forming a capsule around the implant. The extra scarring causes the capsule to tighten around the implant, creating a painful condition in which the breast looks hard and abnormal. While the implant itself remains normal, the tissue around it is affected.

Patients can have radiation therapy after TRAM flap reconstruction procedures with tissue expanders. However, it’s important to remember that the tissue will still be affected (i.e., scarring, changes in blood flow). This means the skin used in reconstruction will not be as soft as it would be if it were not part of radiation therapy. Most surgeons will delay breast reconstruction if their patients need radiation so that they may use healthy tissue that hasn’t been affected by the treatment. Although each patient’s situation is unique, in general I prefer the TRAM flap procedure in any situation where radiation therapy is involved.

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April 9, 2012

What Are My Breast Reconstruction Options after Breast Cancer: Types of Reconstruction?

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As we mentioned in our previous blog on breast reconstruction options, reconstructing the breasts after breast cancer surgery can help women recover faster emotionally and restore the self-esteem of breast cancer survivors. While there are options as to when you choose to undergo breast reconstruction, there are also different types of reconstruction surgery. Patients can choose to have a reconstructed tissue flap to encase the breast implant, use their own tissue, or choose a combination of both. Patients can also choose between saline or silicone gel implants for their reconstruction.

Breast reconstruction can take place using the natural breast tissue if the general surgeon and oncologist deem it acceptable and safe to leave that tissue after removing the cancer.

Tissue flap procedures use tissue from another part of the body (abdomen, back, thighs, or buttocks) to reconstruct the breast. The two most common tissue flap procedures include the TRAM flap and latissimus dorsi flap techniques. The TRAM flap (transverse rectus abdominis muscle) procedure takes a section of skin, fat, blood vessels, and muscle from the abdomen to replace the breast tissue removed during a mastectomy. From there, a breast implant is inserted to rebuild the breast.

There are two different types of TRAM flap techniques. During a pedicled TRAM flap procedure, the tissue is not completely removed from the blood supply. While a free TRAM flap technique completely detaches the tissue and reattaches it to the blood vessels in the chest.

The latissimus dorsi flap procedure is similar to the pedicled TRAM except that the tissue, blood vessels, and muscle are moved from the upper back to the breast area creating a type of pocket for the implant.

The DIEP flap (deep inferior epigastric artery perforator) procedure works similarly to the TRAM flap technique except that it takes fat and skin from the lower abdominal area but does not use muscle. The effect on the stomach is the same as a tummy tuck since excess skin and tissue are removed from the lower abdomen except the excess tissue is used to rebuild the breast.

Breast reconstruction is an important choice for any breast cancer survivor. It takes careful deliberation and consulting with an oncologist and general surgeon, along with a reconstructive plastic surgeon like Dr. Franklyn Elliott, who actually worked to refine the TRAM breast reconstruction technique. For more information on breast reconstruction or to schedule a consultation, contact our office. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ to stay up to date on the latest in breast cancer news.

March 30, 2012

What Are My Breast Reconstruction Options after Breast Cancer: Immediate or Delayed Reconstruction?

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Breast cancer is never an easy diagnosis and the journey toward healing is just as tough. However, breast reconstruction offers many breast cancer survivors the chance to return to some sense of normalcy after a long transition. Breast reconstruction surgery helps restore one or both breast(s) that may have been removed fully or partially after a mastectomy or lumpectomy. Studies have shown that breast reconstruction helps restore patients’ self-esteem which is beneficial in the overall breast cancer recovery process.

However, there is more than one type of breast reconstruction surgery . For almost 30 years, Dr. Franklyn Elliott has been researching, developing, and performing breast reconstruction to help women achieve a proportional and feminine silhouette after breast cancer surgery. As a contributing developer of the TRAM flap method of breast reconstruction and an educator at heart, Dr. Elliott explains the differences between immediate and delayed breast reconstruction surgeries below.

The first element in breast reconstruction is whether to reconstruct the breast immediately after the mastectomy has taken place or to wait until later. Whether you can or should undergo immediate breast reconstruction depends on many factors including whether radiation would be required after breast cancer surgery and the fact that the entire surgical procedure would be long and require a longer recovery as opposed to mastectomy alone.

Immediate reconstruction offers many advantages including more natural-looking cosmetic results because the skin surrounding the breast tissue can often be used to cover an inserted implant. It can also help decrease the risk of social and emotional difficulties. With the delayed procedure, patients need to heal before reconstruction is performed, leaving them without breasts for weeks to months. Some patients may have a harder time handling the effects of breast cancer without reconstruction.

Delayed reconstruction can also be advantageous depending on the patient’s individual situation. For those who may require additional cancer therapy after a mastectomy, the reconstruction site is most often left unharmed. Many patients choose delayed reconstruction to give them more time to research and deliberate their breast reconstruction options. Though cosmetic results are often not as good as with immediate reconstruction and delaying your procedures means another surgery and more recovery time, this option can benefit certain patients.

Breast reconstruction results vary by case, but studies have shown that women who choose to undergo breast reconstruction after breast cancer surgery have an easier time adjusting to life after cancer. For more information on breast reconstruction make sure to stay tuned for our upcoming blogs. You can also contact our office to schedule a consultation. For the latest in breast cancer and reconstruction news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

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