Reconstruction Options After a Bilateral Mastectomy

By Top.me

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If you have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer or the breast cancer gene, then you are probably wondering what you can do to preserve the appearance of your breasts. Mastectomies are more effective than ever, but that operation can result in a few cosmetic issues that many women wish to avoid. Luckily, with an implant based breast reconstruction procedure, you will be able to preserve the appearance of the breasts and maintain your confidence. Here is a quick glimpse at a few of the benefits of a bilateral mastectomy and some signs that these procedures might be right for you.

When to Choose a Bilateral Mastectomy

Girl covering her breasts after bilateral mastectomy

There are a few different reasons why a woman might want to undergo a bilateral mastectomy. In many cases, this is the best option for patients who have tested positive for the most common breast cancer gene. When a bilateral mastectomy is carried out early on, the patient will have a much lower risk of developing cancer in that area of the body down the line. Bilateral mastectomies are also ideal when the patient would like to undergo implant based breast reconstruction surgery. If the patient waits until they have cancer, then their cancer treatments could impact the results of their reconstructive procedure. To get a better idea of what kinds of results can be produced with these treatments, you should take a closer look at some direct to implant breast reconstruction before and after photos.

Getting Ready for Your Procedure

Getting ready for your bilateral mastectomy and implant based breast reconstruction procedure is going to require at least a few weeks of work. In an ideal scenario, you will begin getting ready for these operations as soon as you test positive for the breast cancer gene. After you have done some research online and taken a look at a few direct to implant breast reconstruction before and after photos, you can then schedule your initial appointment with the surgeon. During that appointment, the surgeon can go over your medical history to ensure that these operations are right for you. They will also give you extensive pre-op instructions that you must adhere to.

What to Expect

These procedures are going to require two separate appointments, and the operations are typically carried out at least a few months apart. The first procedure is going to primarily focus on the removal of soft tissue. That surgery is carried out with a general anesthetic so that you remain asleep throughout the entire thing. Once you are asleep, your surgeon can begin the process of removing any cancerous tissue or tissue that could become cancerous in the future. The next step is to place a tissue expander in each breast cavity. That expander will push the health skin out so that there is plenty of room for the implants.

Breast implants for reconstruction after bilateral mastectomy

After you have fully recovered from the first procedure, you can then schedule your next appointment with the surgeon. That second operation will give your surgeon the opportunity to remove the breast expanders and replace them with implants. The second operation is much easier than the first, and the surgeon might be able to finish it in as little as an hour. Even though you will need to rest in bed for a few days, you should be back on your feet and able to move around within a week. By the fifth or sixth week, the average patient is able to resume all activities, and that includes exercising.