At all times, female breast was considered the main sign of sexuality and femininity. Unfortunately, many women are faced with the need to completely remove one or both breasts.

This operation is called Mastectomy and is usually done when:

breast cancer;
complex inflammatory and purulent processes;
serious post-traumatic consequences;
gynecomastia (for cosmetic purposes);
prevention of the development of breast cancer with a genetic predisposition.

The last point remains very ambiguous, since not every woman is able to decide on such a serious step as preventive mastectomy. However, such an intervention can reduce the risk of cancer by up to 90%.

Regardless of the indications for the breast amputation, the loss of this part of the body can lead any woman to severe psycho-emotional disorders. Decreased self-esteem and inner discomfort can reduce the quality of both personal and social life. If psychological problems are detected against the background of mastectomy, it is recommended consulting specialists in the field of aesthetic surgery.

Reconstruction of the mammary glands can be performed both during mastectomy and some time after it. In the case of reconstructive surgery, in parallel with amputation, number of surgical interventions is reduced and a larger amount of patient's skin and tissues is preserved, which is necessary for reconstruction work.

However, in practice, breast reconstruction is often performed some time after mastectomy. This is due to the fact that in the struggle for health and life, appearance fades into background. In some cases, patients do not make decisions about plastic surgery until histological examination of the removed material is carried out.

How is the operation done?

For patient's calmness, description of general algorithm for its implementation is provided. At the first stage of the surgical intervention, it is necessary to stretch the tissues using a special expander, which is a kind of silicone ball. This expander is placed under the skin or pectoral muscles and gradually forms a pocket for the future implant. A small amount of saline or silicone gel enters the expander through the minimum valve, with the help of which the expander gradually enlarges and simultaneously stretches the skin.

After the skin pocket reaches the required size, the expander is removed, and the implant is implanted into the formed cavity. Some developments perform the function of both expander and endoprostheses-implants and accordingly, cannot be eliminated.

The postoperative recovery period lasts from one to two weeks. An important condition for rehabilitation is abstinence from intimate life, physical training, and lifting weights.

Six months after the reconstruction of the new breast, plastic surgeons proceed to the next important stage - the restoration of the nipple and areola. By this time, the scars from the first surgery will be less noticeable.

Breast reconstruction is considered a rather complex operation requiring careful consideration of each individual case, but nevertheless, it can provide excellent aesthetic results. This is experienced by patients, who were initially interested simply in replenishing the lost part of the body, and after achieving this goal, insisting on improving the reconstructed body parts.

Types of Mastectomy 

Segmental Mastectomy

Surgery to remove only part of the breast - tissue that contains a tumor. It is performed for women with stage I cancer, in some cases with stage II.

One of the methods is lumpectomy. With this intervention, the malignant neoplasm and a small amount of healthy local tissues are removed. Another type of partial mastectomy is to remove tumor and larger area of ​​healthy surrounding tissue.

Radical Mastectomy

It is a complete removal of the breast: skin, muscles under the mammary gland, lymph nodes, tissue - subscapularis, axillary (three levels) and subclavian. This operation is very large-scale, but not more effective than other types.

Breast Reconstruction After Operation

Reconstruction can be carried out immediately or delayed. In the first case, the load on the body is big, and surgeon's capabilities are limited. Therefore, preference is often given to delayed types of plastics.

Mastectomy with Simultaneous Reconstruction

The mammary gland can be restored immediately after removal, in one operation. This is possible if the tumor is not aggressive, the risk of disease recurrence is minimal. Surgeon can place a silicone implant or expander for stretching the skin and subsequent endoprosthetics. Also, patient's own tissues can be used for modeling or combination of these techniques is used.