Immediate Reconstruction Following Skin-Sparing Mastectomy

ABSTRACT

Today the patient who is about to undergo breast reconstruction has a variety of choices. Although a plethora of material is available to assist with the decision for breast reconstruction, the woman who presents for her initial consultation is faced with a complex series of issues, not the least is her ability to cope with cancer. Anxiety, anger, and depression are common emotions and behavior during the acute stress reaction breast cancer initiates. Immediate reconstruction has lessened these feeling of depression following breast removal, and obliterates the shock of adjusting to the chest wall deformity. Skin-sparing mastectomy has improved our aesthetic breast reconstructive outcomes by preserving the skin envelope and inframmary fold. Combined with autogenous immediate reconstruction the approach of skin preservation can produce remarkable results, lessening these feelings associated with breast cancer. It is the purpose of this article to review the current practice of skin preservation and immediate reconstruction in the patient with breast cancer.

Keywords

Skin-sparing mastectomy - TRAM flap - opposite breast