Breast Reconstruction Surgery
Every two minutes, on average, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. Every breast cancer is different—and every woman who receives this diagnosis responds differently. For some women, breast reconstruction surgery is part of her treatment plan from the beginning.
And any plan for reconstruction of the breast following a lumpectomy or mastectomy is just as unique as the personalized plan to eradicate breast cancer.
Overview
People who come to us for breast reconstruction surgery receive treatment from skilled specialists, adept in a wide variety of surgical techniques. Working together, you and your surgeon can identify a treatment plan that will meet your specific needs.
Implant-Based Reconstruction
One way to restore breast tissue loss after cancer treatment is through the placement of breast implants. There are two types of implants available—saline and silicone—as well as several different positioning and incision techniques. Saline implants are filled with sterile saline solution and come in either smooth or textured outer shells. Sometimes, these implants are inserted into the breast before they are filled with saline. Silicone implants are filled with a plastic gel and also come with the option of a smooth or textured shell. Each implant option has its own benefits and risks that your surgeon will discuss with you.
In addition to using an implant, your surgeon may also remove fat from another place on the body and graft it to fill in areas around the implant. This combined implant method is used to achieve more natural-looking results.
Flap-Based Reconstruction
In some cases, surgeons will need additional skin tissue, called flaps, to reconstruct a breast following a mastectomy. Flap-based reconstruction uses skin transferred from another place on the body, such as the stomach area. Our surgeons are skilled at performing any of the more than 10 different types of flap-based reconstruction techniques available and will discuss with you the options most likely to meet your needs.
Nipple Reconstruction
Following mastectomies that remove the nipple and surrounding skin, some people choose to have this part of the breast reconstructed. Nipple reconstruction involves the placement of a collection of skin on the breast area that is designed to protrude from the breast the way a natural nipple does, giving the reconstructed breast an even more natural-looking appearance.
Conditions & Treatments
Our nationally recognized surgeons are dedicated to focusing on your unique breast reconstructive surgery needs and the following conditions:
- Absence of nipple
- DIEP flap (belly flap)
- Fat grafts
- IGAP flap (lower buttocks flap)
- Latissimus dorsi flap (back flap)
- LTP flap (hip flap)
- PAP flap (thigh flap)
- Partial and complete breast tissue loss
- SIEA flap (belly flap)
- SGAP flap (upper buttock flap)
- Stacked DIEP flap
- TRAM flap (abdominal flap)
- TUG flap (upper thigh flap)
- Unevenly sized or shaped breasts
In-Person or Virtual Visits
Why Choose Us?
Our team of specialists in breast reconstructive surgery work closely with the oncology team at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University. This kind of collaboration means that many women are able to choose the timing of their reconstruction surgery. Thanks to the expertise of our surgeons, who employ the latest in innovative techniques, women choosing breast reconstruction can experience natural-looking results.
What to Expect
Once you request an appointment, our scheduling team will call you to schedule your initial consultation.
In this first appointment, our surgeons—and the oncologists at Siteman Cancer Center—will meet with you to discuss the options available, as well as their risks and benefits. Breast reconstruction is a personal choice. If you choose it, we will work with you to create a treatment plan you understand and feel confident pursuing.