What Is Breast Reconstruction?
Breast reconstruction surgery can be performed to restore the breasts to an attractive size, shape, and appearance following a mastectomy or lumpectomy. It's also used to restore the chest if it has been damaged by a birth defect or some sort of trauma. Advances in reconstructive surgery make it easier for breast cancer patients to feel fully healed and attain natural-looking breasts after removal or damage. This surgery may involve a few procedures and different stages that may be done at the beginning of your cancer treatment or delayed until a later date. Tuscaloosa, AL board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ross Bunch creates a unique treatment plan with a compassionate approach to help you to restore your confidence and physical appearance at Plastic Surgery of Tuscaloosa. Contact our office today for more information.
How Is Breast Reconstruction Performed?
There are many techniques available for breast reconstruction. There are also multiple factors that Dr. Bunch looks at when deciding on the technique that will produce your best results. A few of these factors include your cancer diagnosis, when the reconstruction is performed, whether you will use implants or natural tissue, and whether nipple reconstruction or nipple-sparing is necessary. In order to recreate the breast, there must be enough tissue to fully cover the breast mound. Flap techniques accomplish this by using your own fat, muscle, and skin to build and cover the breast. The most frequent flap techniques are:
- TRAM flap: The TRAM (transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous) flap uses muscle, skin, and fat from your abdomen to rebuild the breast. The tissue selected to create the new breast may be removed from the abdomen, or the tissue may remain attached to the donor location, keeping the original blood supply.
- DIEP flap: Like a TRAM flap, the DIEP flap takes fat, skin, and blood vessels from the lower stomach; however, it doesn't take the muscle. The DIEP (deep inferior epigastric perforator) flap transfers skin and fat from the belly to form the new breast, and then microsurgery is used to re-attach the blood vessels to the chest.
- Latissimus Dorsi flap: This method uses muscle, skin, and fat from your back. During this technique, tissue is moved from the back to the breast(s) via a surgically created path and stays attached to the donor location, which keeps the original blood supply in place.
- PAP flap: Another flap alternative is the profunda artery perforator (PAP). This method uses fat, skin, and muscle tissue from your inner thigh to create your breast(s).
- LTP flap: While the TRAM flap tends to be one of the more common techniques used for breast reconstruction, sometimes there is not enough muscle, skin, and fat to be taken from the abdominal area. In this case, the LTP (lateral thigh perforator) flap may be used, which takes tissue from the lateral thigh area.
- Composite flap: Also known as a composite stacked flap, this technique takes flaps from several sections of your body to reconstruct the breast.
What Are the Benefits of Breast Reconstruction?
Breast reconstruction surgeries performed at Plastic Surgery of Tuscaloosa can be performed for a variety of reasons. No matter the reasons behind why you require or want this surgery, our team will work with you to achieve outcomes that help you feel beautiful. Benefits of breast reconstruction surgery at our Tuscaloosa, AL office involve:
- Improving aesthetic and medical issues alike
- Ability to choose between several reconstructive plans of action
- Renewing your view of self
- High success rate, low amount of risks, and lasting outcomes
- Attaining balance in the chest
- Addressing problems from previous procedures
Plastic Surgery of Tuscaloosa Reviews
Dr. Bunch is a God send for me. He has been my PS through breast reconstruction after cancer. He made me feel comfortable my first visit and each visit since. I feel very cared about. He and his nurses and office staff are compassionate and professional. I am midway through and he is my HERO.
I went to Dr. Bunch for a breast revision a year after my first set and could not be HAPPIER with my results!! He was thorough with explaining the difference in implants, how the procedure would go, and answered all my questions honestly by not sugar coating anything. He was the only surgeon that reassured me that he could correct the issues I had.
I went to Dr. Bunch for a breast revision a year after I had my first, with a different doctor, and I could not be HAPPIER with my results! He was thorough with explaining the different implants, how the procedure would go, and answered all my questions without sugar coating anything. He was the only surgeon that reassured me that he could correct the issues I had. Literally the best investment I’ve ever done for myself!!
Very Professional - could not be HAPPIER with my results! - I went to Dr. Bunch for a breast revision a year after my first set and could not be HAPPIER with my results!! He was thorough with explaining the difference in implants, how the procedure would go, and answered all my questions honestly by not sugar coating anything. He was the only surgeon that reassured me that he could correct the issues I had.
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Restore Your Self-Confidence
Although the process of breast reconstruction can take time, it is considered one of the top procedures for our Tuscaloosa, AL patients. It can help improve the physical and emotional impact of breast cancer treatment while also allowing you to boost your figure and self-confidence. If you have breast cancer, have had an injury to the chest, or were born with a defect that affects the appearance of your breasts, we encourage you to contact Plastic Surgery of Tuscaloosa and schedule an appointment with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ross Bunch.