While most women associate breast reconstruction surgery with a mastectomy, a lumpectomy may require reconstruction as well. By performing reconstruction immediately after a lumpectomy, I can create very natural-looking breast reconstruction results for my patients.
What Is Oncoplastic Surgery?
As treatments for breast cancer have become more advanced, women find that they have more available options for treatment. For example, it’s now become more common for chemotherapy to be performed prior to surgery in order to reduce any palpable mass enough that a lumpectomy can be performed rather than a mastectomy.
Oncoplastic surgery is the combination of oncology (cancer treatment) and reconstructive plastic surgery. This means that, in partnership with a cancer surgeon, the cancerous cells are removed and the remaining breast tissue is sculpted to restore a natural shape and profile to the affected breast. Any necessary cosmetic procedures on the opposite breast can be performed at the same time to ensure symmetry.
Benefits of Single-Stage Reconstruction
There are a number of benefits to performing a single-stage lumpectomy reconstruction:
- Patients only need to schedule a single surgical appointment
- Breasts will look symmetrical after your lumpectomy
- Shorter recovery time compared to a staged reconstruction
Ultimately, though, the primary benefit that my patients enjoy is being able to conserve as much natural breast tissue as possible while still effectively eliminating cancerous cells. This preservation aspect is often an important part of the emotional healing process following a cancer diagnosis.