breast reconstruction Atlanta

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+.

January 6, 2012

How Long Does Breast Reconstruction Take?

After breast cancer surgery like a mastectomy, many women find it difficult to consider breast reconstruction surgery. However, studies done across the country including one published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) says that breast reconstruction is beneficial both physically and emotionally for breast cancer patients and survivors.
The process of having a breast removed is mentally trying, and having additional invasive procedures to replace what was lost often gets put to the wayside in favor of emotional healing. However, new advances in breast reconstruction technology and techniques make undergoing breast reconstruction surgery safer and more beneficial than ever.

One common question from many of Dr. Franklyn Elliott’s breast reconstruction patients is how long the breast reconstruction process takes. While the answer to this varies depending on the type of procedure performed and each patient’s individual situation, the average breast reconstruction procedure can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours.

A tissue expander procedure can take about an hour to complete, while pedicled TRAM, free TRAM, and DIEP flap reconstruction techniques take 2 to 3 hours depending on the patient and the surgeon. During a pedicled TRAM, muscle and other tissue is removed from the abdomen and relocated to the breast area, while remaining attached to a blood supply. With the free TRAM technique, muscle and fat tissue is removed from a section of the abdomen and reattached to a blood supply in the breast area. In a DIEP flap procedure, tissue is removed from the donor area with no muscle attached to help recreate the breast.
For some women, procedures are spread out in which tissue is removed and relocated to the breast and then tissue expanders are used to help stretch the skin to make room for an implant. In these cases, multiple procedures are necessary to achieve the patient’s desired result.

As the developer of one of the original breast reconstruction techniques first used by breast surgeons, Dr. Elliott will be showcasing the latest in breast reconstruction technology at the Annual Breast Surgery Symposium in Atlanta on January 13th- 15th, 2012.

Contact our office for more information on the different breast reconstruction techniques or to schedule a consultation for a reconstructive or cosmetic surgery procedure. You can also find Dr. Elliott on Facebook and Twitter with the latest in breast cancer and breast reconstruction news as well as cosmetic surgery updates!

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