Immediate vs. Delayed Breast Reconstruction

Breast reconstruction can be performed at the time of mastectomy, or at a later time in patients who have already undergone mastectomy surgery. Immediate reconstruction is often chosen as it can be done at the same operative setting and same hospitalization as the mastectomy.  Thus, you have one surgical recovery period rather than two.  Additionally, the emotional stress of the deformity of a mastectomy may be reduced  when immediate reconstruction is undertaken. This is often the best option for patients who are undergoing skin and/or nipple sparing mastectomy. Nipple-Sparing and Skin Sparing Mastectomy We can help you to determine whether immediate or delayed surgery is best for you. Reconstruction can be considered for those women who have undergone mastectomy, lumpectomy, and even those who had reconstruction already. Those patients who have already had breast reconstruction may benefit from implant replacement, or from autogenous flap (your own body tissue) reconstruction.  Among the reasons to consider this secondary breast reconstruction is to improve on reconstruction where a breast implant problem has occurred.  Breast implant problems include: capsule formation, breast deformity, firmness, mal-position, and rupture. Also, flap reconstructions can sometimes have problems that can be improved by revision surgeries as well.  Skin-Sparing and Nipple-Sparing mastectomies are offered to selected patients when appropriate.  In a skin-sparing mastectomy only the nipple areola and breast tissue is removed.   In a nipple-sparing mastectomy only breast tissue is removed through an incision below the nipple or in the breast fold area.   Importantly immediate breast reconstruction is then done to fill the breast skin envelope with both of these mastectomies.  Because breast skin envelope is preserved, it allows for more natural-looking reconstruction.

            Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon specializing in Breast Reconstructive Surgery.  Located in Manhattan, New York City, NY and servicing Brooklyn, NY, Queens, NY, Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island, New Jersey,  NJ, Connecticut, CT and Westchester.  Call for your Plastic Surgery appointment to meet with Dr. Valauri.

47 East 77th Street • Suite 201 • New York, NY 10021 • Phone: 212-439-0080 •

                                                                        Fredrick A. Valauri MD PC   Copyright 2008-2011