reconstruction

If you find yourself facing a single or double mastectomy, you have several options for your reconstruction. The procedures fall into two categories: implant reconstruction or autologous reconstruction. In implant reconstruction, I use a breast implant to reconstruct your breast, while in autologous reconstruction, I use tissue from your own body to rebuild the breast.

Every patient has different circumstances that may make them a better fit for one choice or another. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast reconstruction, to help you understand your potential options, I’m laying out the top pros and cons of autologous breast reconstruction.

Pro: More Natural-Looking Result

Autologous breast reconstruction often looks, feels, and acts as your natural breast because it’s using your own tissue – tissue that is extremely similar to that in your original breast. In most of these procedures, I use a flap of muscle, fat, blood vessels, and skin from your abdomen, and these same tissues make up a large portion of your natural breast too.

While implants have changed over the years to offer more natural shapes, they often have a slightly more rounded and lifted shape. Some patients prefer this, but particularly if you only had a single mastectomy, it tends to be more noticeable than your natural breast and reconstructed breast do not match.

Con: Longer Surgery

Understandably, autologous breast reconstruction is a more complex surgery compared to reconstruction with implants. After all, I operate on your breast as well as your abdomen, your back, or any other area where I take the tissue for your new breast. As a result, it takes more time to complete this surgery, which means that you will spend more time under anesthesia. While the risks are still low for this surgery, the extended time does mean that patients with some medical conditions may not be candidates for autologous breast reconstruction.

Pro: Tummy Tuck-Like Side Benefits

As I mentioned above, in most autologous breast reconstructions, I use tissue from your abdomen, back, or other areas. If I use tissue from your abdomen this reduces the size of your abdomen, and better yet, when I suture your abdominal muscles to close the area where I took muscle for your breast, it cinches your waist to a degree. You won’t see as much of a difference to your abdomen as you would from a true tummy tuck, but you will see some slimming and shaping.

Con: More Extensive Recovery

Autologous breast reconstruction is a significant surgery because, essentially, I am performing surgery on both your breast and your abdomen, back, or other areas. Because more areas of your body need to heal, the surgery tends to have a more extensive recovery compared to breast reconstruction with a breast implant.

Keep in mind, though, that every patient’s surgery and recovery is unique and customized to their specific needs, so the recovery time and experience will vary even among women who have a similar type of procedure.

Pro: No Need for Implant Monitoring

Breast implants have highly innovative and advanced designs that make them very safe and low-risk. However, there is always some risk of future complications, and because of this, women with breast implants need to have scans every so often to monitor their implants and look for potential ruptures. Implants also need to be replaced eventually. It often takes about 20 years (and sometimes longer) before that is necessary, but it is still an additional surgery to keep in mind. With autologous reconstruction, though, you don’t need this extra monitoring or eventual replacement.

Every woman who has a mastectomy deserves to have the reconstruction that best aligns with her goals, her body, and her needs. I am dedicated to making that happen. Schedule a consultation with me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott, to determine if autologous or implant reconstruction is the best choice for you. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter as well for more plastic surgery insights.