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The treatment of breast cancer may involve amputation or complete removal of the breast, It may also involve removal of lymph nodes from the axilla.
Some people are able to manage with the trauma of breast amputation or distraction. However quite a large number of their patients suffer from many psychological issues like low self-esteem, feeling of loss of femineity and depression of losing a body part that was with them for a significant part of their lives. There are many solutions for the treatment of the group of patients.
A simple solution would be the use of an external prothesis or padding which gives an external appearance of resembling the breast and this would be satisfactory for some.
However, a more permanent solution would be to get reconstruction of the breast done. The breast reconstruction is ideally done at the time of breast cancer treatment. But this may not be possible all of the time.
Breast reconstruction can be done at a later date too. There are very many options available through plastic surgery
Use of one’s own skin
Use of skin and fat from the body to mould a new breast. The fat and skin can be taken from the lower abdomen you get an added benefit of a tummy tuck!!! The upper thigh, the aspect of thigh, buttock etc.
These techniques will help to recreate the breast to neat normal appearance. If you do desire the opposite breast can be re-moulded too to achieve symmetry.
Use of breast implant
For those patients who do not want to get an autologous tissue a breast implant needs an additional cover on top like a muscle flap or acellular dermal matrix to cover it.
In patients who have undergone partial breast amputation, Reconstruction can be done too.
There are additional technique like Lipo fill (Fat transfer) or local flaps or microvascular Tissue transfer which can be done. For people who has lost the Nipple and areola. There can be reconstructed too of they desire to have the Nipple – Areola complex reconstructed.