Advanced Techniques In Breast Reconstruction

Breast cancer patients suffer through many difficulties to overcome their disease. One of the possibilities is enduring a mastectomy to remove the breasts to stop the spread of cancer. The loss of the breasts can be an emotional time for many women, with a constant reminder of cancer evident on their body. Breast reconstruction is an option, but it has not always been an easy solution. New and advanced techniques in breast reconstruction surgery can achieve incredible outcomes for breast cancer patients.

In the past, breast cancer survivors could choose from breast implants or autologous breast reconstruction, which are still options. Breast implants can offer a faster road to restoring the breast appearance, but not everyone wants to live with breast implants. They are not lifetime devices, which means they could rupture or need to be replaced down the road. The biggest advancements have been made in the autologous methods of breast reconstruction.

Autologous Breast Reconstruction Advances

Autologous means tissue obtained from the patient when referring to surgery. Autologous breast reconstruction has been used for many years to recreate the breasts from fat, skin and muscle from the same patient. The tissues were moved from the abdomen and lower back to the chest wall to create the new breasts. While this eliminated the need for implants, it could be painful, and the recovery was extensive.

With the new methods and techniques used in autologous breast reconstruction, only fat and skin are grafted to the chest, not muscle. This can make a significant difference in the recovery process for the patient, while still creating beautiful, natural-appearing breasts. Using these techniques can spare damage to the abdominal muscles and give patients more options for their breast reconstruction plastic surgery.

Dr. Harry Salinas has performed more breast reconstruction surgeries after mastectomy than most plastic surgeons will ever complete during their career. He has excelled at utilizing the most advanced techniques to give his patients improved appearance and recovery from their procedure. To learn more about autologous and other types of breast reconstruction surgeries we offer, contact us at HMS Plastic Surgery in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale, FL, area.