If you have a mastectomy performed, reconstruction may be an option and can be discussed with your oncology healthcare team. Reconstruction can occur at the same time, or later, as in delayed reconstruction.
Some women decide to wear a breast prosthesis in their bra instead of having reconstructive surgery. This is an individual choice; what is right for one woman may not be right for another.
If you choose to have reconstructive surgery, your plastic surgeon will be involved during the treatment planning process, before any surgery, to assist in planning out the best approach.
Your plastic surgeon will help outline the many options for breast cancer reconstruction, including:
DIEP flap – This procedure uses skin and fat from the lower abdomen with minimal disruption to the muscle to create a breast.
TRAM procedure – This procedure uses part of the patient’s abdominal muscle (the transverse rectus abdominis muscle, or the “sit-up” muscle), fat and blood supply to create a new breast.
S-GAP flap – Similar to a DIEP flap, this procedure uses buttock tissue to create a breast.
Implants – Silicone and saline implants are relatively simple to insert post-mastectomy, but potential complications may lurk down the road, and implants are not recommended for women who require radiation treatments.
Ohio State currently has the only surgeon in Ohio who regularly performs the DIEP and S-GAP flap procedures. For more information on breast reconstruction at Ohio State, call (614) 293-8566.