When is the correct time to get breast reconstruction after mastectomy?

Mastectomy is a part of breast cancer treatment wherein the doctor removes the patient's breasts. It helps in mitigating the chances of cancer coming back again. Cancer survivors are the epitome of strength and sheer will. They fight through severe pain, many chemotherapy sessions, radiation, hair loss, and more to come out as winners.

Some women decide to live without a breast, while others get their breasts reconstructed. It is a personal choice to get breast implants after your mastectomy or not. But if you choose to rebuild your bust after the cancer treatment, you must read this article. This post mentions the right time for undergoing the operation after mastectomy.

When should you get your bust reconstruction after mastectomy?

The best way to determine the right time for a bust rebuilding operation is to discuss it with your doctor. Patients who got their breast reconstruction by Dr. Dhivya Srinivasa asserted that their body's reaction to the treatment played a significant role in deciding the time. One person may show positive results with medications, while the other may need radiation to win the cancer fight. The doctors have three approaches to breast rebuilding:

• Immediate Reconstruction: As soon as the doctors remove your breast(s) as part of your cancer treatment, the plastic surgeons' team next takes over and rebuilds the bust by using the body tissue or implants. Generally, the doctors do everything in the same operation room, and you wake up with a newly built chest. It takes more than one operation to complete the procedure in rare cases. Immediate reconstruction is only possible if you do not have to undergo any chemo or radiation therapies.

• Delayed Reconstruction: As the name suggests, the reconstruction therapy is delayed after mastectomy for various medical reasons. When your doctors recommend targeted therapies and radiation sittings after mastectomy, they wait for any reconstruction surgery. It is to help the oncologist target cancer and lymph nodes without any obstacles. It is one of the main reasons for your cancer specialist to delay the rebuilding operation. You may have to postpone the surgery 6 to 12 months after mastectomy to get a new bust.

• Delayed-immediate reconstruction: University of Texas M.D, Anderson Cancer Center has recently developed this approach. Using this approach, the surgeon either places a tissue expander or a breast implant under the chest to maintain the shape of the bust. It is helpful when a patient has to undergo different radiation therapies. It is useful when the doctors are unsure whether or not the patient will benefit from the radiation and chemotherapy. The oncologist quickly deflates the tissue expander through the valve and precisely targets the lymph nodes. They gradually refill it after the therapy in 2 weeks, returning it to its original shape.

Final Words

There is no right time to get breast reconstruction surgery; instead, the results from the treatment pave the path for rebuilding the breasts after mastectomy. Some women chose the 'go flat' moment after winning their fight with breast cancer. However, many women get a bust rebuild after a few years of removal. It is a personal choice. You should be healthy to undergo the reconstruction operations, and the doctors will never delay or deny it for you.

*Please note the thoughts and opinions of our Content Contributors are their own and not necessarily representative of Tampa Bay Moms Group, it's staff of members.