Ask The Doctor-What can be done with unsatisfactory reconstructive surgery results.

red flowerThis week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question: I am 3 yrs s/p bilat mast, chemo and L radiation for stage 2 lobular cancer. I received good reconstructive surgery, but I am unhappy with the cold temperature of my breasts and especially with the hardness/immobility of the L breast which had radiation. Can anything be done? Thank you!

Answer: Thanks for your question. When breast reconstruction with implants doesn’t work out, or if the breast feels cold or hard, an option may be replacing the implant with your own fatty tissue. The end result with your own tissue is more natural and permanent. The downside to this approach is it requires starting over, and you need to use  your own fatty tissue. That means an incision that has to heal and a longer recovery time. We frequently take that approach for patients with implant problems. If you would like more info, please let me know.

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