Therapeutic Mammaplasty
(Wide Local Excision in Breast Reduction Pattern)
What is a therapeutic mammaplasty?
Mammaplasty is the surgical technique of reshaping the breast. In some cases, removing the cancer alone would leave a poor breast shape. A therapeutic mammaplasty aims to remove a cancer and then reshape the breast using a breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty) technique. The cancer is removed with a margin of surrounding normal breast tissue, the breast is then reshaped and the skin closed around the breast using a breast reduction pattern. Surgery is almost always followed by radiotherapy. This produces equivalent results for survival in breast cancer compared to a mastectomy.
Who is suitable for a therapeutic mammaplasty?
Women who are suitable for this procedure usually have a larger bust and a cancer in a location that is suitable for removal in this type of reduction pattern.
What happens to the other breast?
There will often be a significant difference in the size of your breasts following this procedure. After you have completed treatment Dr Graham will review the need for surgery to make the other breast smaller to match your treated side. Sometimes this can occur at the same time as your initial surgery, however, often we wait until after the completion of radiotherapy.
How long is the operation and what is recovery like?
The length of the operation and the duration you will stay in depends on whether you are having any other procedures. For most patients the operation takes 2 hours.
Most patients will stay one night in hospital. This may be longer if you are having other procedures. A waterproof dressing will be placed on your wound. You will be able to do most things for yourself immediately after the operation and are encouraged to do so.
What are the complications of a therapeutic mammaplasty?
All operations have potential side effects and complications. Fortunately, these are uncommon and surgery usually proceeds without any problems. Dr Graham will the risks and possible complications with you in detail at your consultation.
Risks are increased in patients who smoke or have other medical conditions that impair healing, such as diabetes. These complications include but are not limited to pain, bleeding, infection, need for further surgery, loss of skin and nipple sensation, wound healing problems, impaired blood supply resulting in skin and nipple loss, breast and nipple asymmetry and seroma.
Dr Graham advocates the National Law and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) guidelines that any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.