General Awareness about Reconstructive Surgery
Injury, disease, a birth defect -- or a surgery like mastectomy -- can all leave the body disfigured. Through reconstructive surgery, however, those physical problems can be corrected.
Breast reconstruction or reduction, foot or hand surgery, burn wound care, limb reattachment, and facial correction like cleft lip surgery are just a few examples. Reconstructive surgery can help repair any part of the body.
The Procedures: There are many surgical methods to achieve the desired results. Your surgeon will help you weigh all the options. The two of you can decide together which one best suits you. Reconstructive surgeries are typically used for:
Breast reconstruction or reduction - for women who have undergone a mastectomy or who have very large breasts; men also undergo breast reduction.
Surgeries for feet and hands - for people with tumors (cancerous and noncancerous); webbed toes or fingers; extra fingers or toes; or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Wound care - for severe burns or cuts.
Microsurgery or flap procedures - to replace parts of the body affected by injury or disease - like a finger lost to amputation or a leg lost to cancer
Facial surgeries - to correct structural problems causing cleft lip (a birth defect) as well as breathing problems, sinus infections, and snoring.
Cosmetic Procedures: Breast Reconstruction
Reconstructive plastic surgery for breast cancer is performed to replace skin, breast tissue and the nipple-areolar complex removed during a mastectomy. The amount of missing tissue varies with each mastectomy. Factors contributing to the amount of tissue removed include the width, size and location of the original tumor and its proximity to the axilla, where the lymph glands are removed.
The ultimate goal of reconstruction is to restore symmetry between the two breasts.
Reconstruction: A Personal Decision
Continual improvements in plastic surgery techniques offer better results today than ever before and make breast reconstruction an option for most women facing a mastectomy.
The choices that are right for one woman won't necessarily be right for another. That's because the long-term prospects of living without a breast or part of a breast affect every woman differently.
The decision, however, is a personal one and often not easy to make.
When Should Breast Reconstruction Be Performed?
Decision to have reconstructive surgery is based on the patient's desires, medical conditions and cancer treatment. It is also possible to do the reconstruction months or years after a mastectomy. If any chemotherapy or radiation treatments have already been started, reconstruction is usually postponed until those treatments are completed. Our surgical team can help you decide the appropriate timing for reconstruction.
How Long Does Breast Reconstruction Surgery Take?
Preparation for surgery, including administering anesthesia and any work done to treat the breast cancer may take two hours. Once the plastic surgery team takes over, the reconstructive portion of the procedure is completed within an additional one to six hours.
Following surgery, the patient spends approximately two to three hours in the recovery room before being transferred to a hospital room.
Recovery from Breast Reconstruction Surgery?
For the first few days after surgery, you may experience some discomfort, but you will be given pain medication as needed.
Throughout your hospital stay, your recovery will be closely monitored. Soon after surgery you will be encouraged to move your arms. The day after surgery, you will normally be able to sit in a chair beside the bed. On the second day, most patients are walking without assistance.
The length of your hospital stay depends on the type of operation and how your recovery progresses. If you've gotten implants, the average length of hospitalization is one to two days. Flap procedures require a stay of five to six days.
Common Side Effects: The side effects will depend on the procedure used. Your doctor can provide more information on common side effects to expect from your procedure.
After you go home, you can expect some soreness, swelling and bruising for two to three weeks. You may be asked to apply medications to the suture area or change bandages at home.
Recovery
Most women return to normal activities within six weeks after surgery. It may be several weeks before you can do strenuous exercise, patient may feel numbness and tightness. In time, some feeling may return in your breasts. Most scars will fade over time.
The shape of your reconstructed breast will gradually improve over the months following the reconstruction.
It is important to follow your doctors' instructions regarding wound care and infection prevention.
Results: The results of reconstructive surgery will last your entire life. They will be affected by the changes of aging, but the basic structural changes will remain intact.