How long does a mastectomy with implant reconstruction take?
During mastectomy surgery If immediate breast reconstruction is performed during the mastectomy, the surgery will take longer (about 3 to 4 hours for reconstruction with tissue expanders or breast implants and 6 to 8 hours for reconstruction with tissue flaps).
How big of implants can you get after a mastectomy?
There may be a role for implants larger than 800 mL for patients undergoing post-mastectomy breast reconstruction in the United States. The FDA has recently approved ATHENA, a clinical trial that will allow patients to select breast implants with larger volumes ranging from 800 to 1445 mL for breast reconstruction.
Can you have a mastectomy and implants at the same time?
At the time of mastectomy, some plastic surgeons will lift up the pectoralis muscle, located immediately behind the breast, and place the implant behind the extra layer of tissue. Others will place the implant immediately behind the skin.
What is the most common complication after implant reconstruction?
Risks of capsular contracture The most common problem with breast implants is capsular contracture. A scar (or capsule) can form around the soft implant. As it tightens, it can start to squeeze the implant, making the breast feel hard and look distorted. Capsular contracture can be treated.
How painful is breast reconstruction after mastectomy?
Right after the surgery, you will probably feel weak, and you may feel pain for 2 to 3 weeks. You may have a pulling or stretching feeling in your breast area. You can expect to feel better and stronger each day, although you may need pain medicine for a week or two.
What is the best reconstruction after mastectomy?
The pre-pectoral procedure is the most minimally invasive breast reconstruction option. Your doctor can perform a mastectomy by removing breast tissue through a small incision underneath the breast. Through this incision, a tissue expander can be placed on top of the muscle to create a breast mound.
How long is surgery to remove expanders and put in implants?
Approximately one to three months after the tissue expander has reached the correct size, you will undergo a second operation. During this surgery, the expander is removed and an implant is inserted in its place. The surgery lasts about one to two hours and is followed by a hospital stay of four to 24 hours.
What does a mastectomy scar look like?
Despite the different approaches, most mastectomy scars heal in a horizontal line across the chest, a diagonal line, or sometimes in a half moon shape. Often, the incision type and resulting scar depend upon the original location of the breast cancer lesion.
What do chest expanders look like?
A tissue expander looks a lot like a breast implant, although it has a thicker outer shell than breast implants. There is a port on the front of the expander.