Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Breast Reconstruction Basics

By Ashley Porter


When a woman receives the dreaded news that she has cancer of the breast, it can fill her with so much emotion that the thought of breast reconstruction is the farthest thing from her mind. Of course, her priority is to remove the cancerous cells from her breast. However, it is shocking to find out that most breast cancer patients are not given enough options about their Dallas breast cancer surgery plans. If you're going to have breast reconstruction in Dallas, it's a must that you weigh in all your options.

The first option is that you can have your breast reconstruction following a lumpectomy. Your breast cancer surgeon in Dallas removes all of the cancerous tissue from the breast. Once this is achieved, the breast will probably not look as normal or symmetrical as before surgery. Most choose implants to restore their natural balance.

During a mastectomy, the entire breast is removed and most women will choose reconstruction for one or both breasts. About half of those who choose reconstruction will choose to go with breast implants. There is another option, where tissue removed from other parts of your body can be used to form the missing breast tissue.

It is also up to you when you'd like to get the breast reconstruction surgery done. A majority of women opt to get the procedure immediately after their breast cancer surgery. This is almost always possible, except with advanced stage tumors where radiation therapy is needed after breast cancer surgery. In these cases, it is best to wait before having your breast reconstruction in Dallas.

Whether you choose to have your reconstruction procedure after the surgery or to delay it, both options have their ups and downs. If you postpone the reconstruction till later, you will have more time to decide which method is the best for you. It also gives you the opportunity to first focus on your treatment, especially if you're undergoing radiation, which can be quite stressful. You may not be able to deal with the added pressure brought upon by making decisions regarding how you're gonna have your breast reconstruction in Dallas.

Unfortunately, if you delay your decision, you might find that it becomes harder to deal with the fact that you're missing all or part of your breast. The general standard for most women is that the majority will choose to go with the immediate option. The major advantage to this is that you will appear balanced and symmetrical, just as you did before your mastectomy. When you choose to have your breast reconstruction in Dallas immediately, there's no worry of further surgeries unless you should experience complications with your implant or new tissue.

You need to speak to your doctor before you make your decision regarding breast cancer surgery in Dallas for your breast reconstruction. Make sure you ask questions and get all the information that you need. Good surgeons and doctors will be open about the entire process. They'll understand that this is a big thing to you, and they'll help you choose the options that will work best for you, as well as which options just aren't good.




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