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By Mayo Clinic staffBefore a mastectomy, your doctor may recommend that you meet with a plastic surgeon. Consult a plastic surgeon who's board certified and experienced in breast reconstruction following mastectomy. Ideally, your breast surgeon and the plastic surgeon will work together to develop the best surgical treatment and breast reconstruction strategy in your situation.
Your plastic surgeon will describe your surgical options and may show you photos of women who have had different types of breast reconstruction. Your body type, health status and cancer treatment factor into which type of reconstruction will provide the best result. The plastic surgeon provides information on the anesthesia, the location of the operation and what kind of follow-up procedures may be necessary.
Your plastic surgeon may recommend surgery on your opposite breast, even if it's healthy, so that it more closely matches the shape and size of your reconstructed breast.
In advance of your surgery, follow your doctor's specific instructions on preparing for the procedure. This may include guidelines on eating and drinking, adjusting current medications and quitting smoking.
- Breast reconstruction after mastectomy. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/002992-pdf.pdf. Accessed July 21, 2010.
- Surgery choices for women with early-stage breast cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/SurgeryChoicesESBCPDF. Accessed July 21, 2010.
- Breast reconstruction. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Patients_and_Consumers/Procedures/Reconstructive_Procedures/Breast_Reconstruction.html. Accessed July 21, 2010.
- Hu E, et al. Breast reconstruction. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2007;87:453.
- Reavey P, et al. Update on breast reconstruction in breast cancer. Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2008;20:61.
- Wilhelmi BJ, et al. Breast reconstruction. In: Townsend CM, et al. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/207919050-3/0/1565/0.html. Accessed July 21, 2010.
- Wilkins EG, et al. Breast reconstruction in women with breast cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 21, 2010.
- Atisha D, et al. Prospective analysis of long-term psychosocial outcomes in breast reconstruction. Annals of Surgery. 2008;247:1019.
- Walsh MF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 22, 2010.
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