Immediate breast reconstruction is a favorable method of reconstruction for those who want fewer surgeries, a shorter surgery time, and feel favorable about breast reconstruction with implants.
Immediate breast reconstruction will only work for those women who have enough breast tissue to cover the implant and do not need to use a tissue expander as a first step.
Immediate breast reconstruction involves the placement of an implant immediately after the mastectomy. Once the doctor has removed the breast tissue affected, an implant will be placed under the chest muscle. Your healthy breast may also need be reshaped to achieve symmetry and balance.
Immediate breast reconstruction is a good option for women who do not need radiation therapy. Problems can arise in an implant breast reconstruction if radiation therapy is required afterward.
A mastectomy itself can take two to three hours and the addition of an implant can add up to another hour. The mastectomy and reconstruction will require a general anesthesia to be administered and you may need to stay the night at the hospital.
Your doctor will work alongside the breast surgeon to insert the implant immediately after the breast tissue has been removed. Once the implant has been placed, drains will be positioned to collect fluid and carry it outside the body. Then the incisions will be sutured and a bandage will be wrapped tightly around the area.
After an immediate breast reconstruction in Scottsdale, you will most likely need to stay overnight in the hospital. The next day you will be taught exercises to keep your shoulders from getting stiff. You will receive instructions on taking pain medications, drainage care, bandage changing and care, and how to identify any signs of infection.
You will experience some aching and soreness associated with the surgery and implant and will need to abstain from lifting or strenuous activity for at least a few weeks. Make sure to ask for some help around the house as you recover. You will need to take sponge baths until stitches and drains are removed. The sutures will dissolve after several days. The drains may be removed at our surgical center or need to stay in for a week or two. You should be able to return to normal activities six weeks after surgery.
Implants don’t typically last a lifetime. However, newer, more modern implants can last a very long time. Most surgeons give both saline and silicone implants a lifespan to two to twenty years.
You may feel numbness in your breast as well as “phantom breast syndrome” which can cause tingling or a pins and needles sensation. Feeling may return to your reconstructed breast after a few years, but the numb sensation could persist for many years after surgery.
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