Gangnam Breast Reconstruction: Methods, Types, and Timing After Breast Cancer Surgery

Gangnam Breast Reconstruction: Methods, Types, and Timing After Breast Cancer Surgery

Hello. I'm Dr. Kim Ju-won, CEO of Melon Plastic Surgery, your breast specialist for all breast concerns.

Today, I'd like to talk about breast reconstruction surgery performed after breast cancer surgery.

After going through the significant event of breast cancer and entering the recovery phase, while there's gratitude and relief, complex emotions can also arise. Radiation therapy or mastectomy, though essential for recovery, can lead to changes in breast shape.

During the fight against cancer, the discomfort of changing breast shape is often put aside to focus on treatment. However, once in recovery, the desire to restore the breasts resurfaces.

‘Will breast reconstruction restore my breasts to how they were before?’‘When is the right time to consider reconstruction surgery?’

Today's discussion will cover the timing, methods, and recovery process of breast reconstruction after breast cancer surgery. I hope this information will be of some help to those looking to restore their breasts after breast cancer surgery.

After Breast Cancer Surgery | Why Breast Reconstruction is Needed and When to Have It

The most important thing in breast cancer treatment is to cure the cancer and maintain health.

Removing the cancer is not the end of treatment. It requires a process of regaining the body's balance after fighting tirelessly to eliminate cancer cells, and also healing the mind that has bravely confronted the disease.

Breast reconstruction is a plastic surgery that can be considered at this time. It is a surgery that restores the breast tissue removed due to cancer, recreates its shape, and helps patients return to their normal daily lives, thus playing a role in both physical and emotional recovery.

Based on the timing of the surgery, breast reconstruction can be divided into two types: ‘immediate reconstruction’, which is performed simultaneously with breast cancer resection surgery, and ‘delayed reconstruction’, which is performed after chemotherapy treatments like radiation are completed.

The advantage of immediate reconstruction is that it is performed at the same time as the mastectomy, so you don't need to undergo multiple surgeries. Conversely, delayed reconstruction is performed after treatment is completed, offering the advantage of being able to fully assess one's condition during the recovery period.

What I want to emphasize is to take your time. Rather than rushing to schedule the surgery, the beginning of breast reconstruction is to carefully monitor your body's recovery, discuss with your medical team to plan the surgery, and find the most comfortable time for your body.

After Breast Cancer Surgery | Methods of Breast Reconstruction

‘Which is better, implants or autologous tissue?’‘Is breast reconstruction possible during chemotherapy?’

Breast reconstruction surgery methods are divided into two types: ‘implant reconstruction’ and ‘autologous tissue reconstruction’. Both surgical methods aim to restore the deformed breast, but there are differences in the method of reconstruction and the recovery process.

Implant reconstruction involves inserting silicone implants to restore the shape of the breast. It is a commonly performed surgery due to its shorter operating time and fewer scars, resulting in less physical burden.

However, depending on the case, it may be necessary to first insert a tissue expander to stretch skin that has hardened due to chemotherapy, such as radiation, and then replace the expander with an implant after about 6 months. This might feel like another difficult process, but it is necessary for stable and balanced results.

In the case of implant reconstruction, although rare, complications such as capsular contracture (hardening of the capsule surrounding the implant) or displacement of the implant can occur, making regular follow-up observations important.

Autologous tissue reconstruction involves taking tissue from the abdomen or back to reconstruct the breast. Autologous tissue reconstruction generally has a longer operating time, but its advantage is a natural shape and feel.

However, because it involves taking tissue from another part of the body, multiple scars may remain.

When deciding to undergo reconstruction surgery, concerns often increase about which surgical method will result in a more beautiful restoration, or which will be less burdensome on the body. It is necessary to have a thorough discussion with your doctor, clearly understand your body and condition, and then choose a direction that will allow your body to recover well.

Breast Reconstruction | Post-Surgery Care and Recovery Process

After breast reconstruction surgery, you may feel soreness or tightness in your chest.

In the case of implant reconstruction, the breast may feel firm initially, but over time, the sensation will soften and gradually become smoother. If you've had autologous tissue reconstruction, it's best to avoid strenuous activities for a while after surgery to allow the incision site to heal.

For breast reconstruction, each individual's breast cancer history, treatment process, and prognosis differ, so a personalized surgical plan and management considering the individual's condition and circumstances are essential.

Therefore, it is crucial to coordinate and manage the entire surgical journey, from surgery to recovery, with the medical team during the communication process.

Even if the surgery goes well and the breast shape improves, not everything is restored. Only by consistently managing your recovery, considering your body's healing speed, will you achieve a more natural and comfortable result.

Breast Reconstruction | The Moment of Regaining Daily Life

As a surgeon performing breast reconstruction, I feel a sense of reward when I see the anxiety experienced due to breast cancer transform into stability.

Even after overcoming cancer and entering the stage of looking towards full recovery, many patients still harbor anxiety accumulated during the arduous cancer treatment process. There are precious moments when I feel that I am part of their journey, where emotional recovery accompanies the physical restoration of the breast after reconstructive surgery.

The period after reconstructive surgery is a time when the body gradually recovers and the mind finds stability. Day by day, the body and breasts find balance, and you move one step closer to a new daily life.

In post-surgery recovery, direction is more important than speed. Please remember that the best way to recover is to manage yourself by considering your body's rhythm, rather than pushing yourself too hard.

Please consult your doctor with any breast concerns. All medical staff at Melon Plastic Surgery will accompany you on your surgical journey.

Thank you.