Secondary Surgery
Symmetrisation:
Despite the best efforts of the surgeon, if a patient has very large or droopy breasts then it may just not be possible to match the other side and an uplift (mastopexy) or reduction may be required to achieve optimum symmetry. Best left until 3-6 months after the initial reconstruction. This tends to be a day-case procedure, taking 90 minutes or so.
Lipofilling:
After the mastectomy, any implant or tissue based reconstruction can have small areas of scarring that result in small defects which may be troublesome, especially in the cleavage area. If so fat may be harvested from the flanks or thighs, using gentle liposuction, and injected into the depressions. Again day-case procedure, taking 90 minutes. Donor site scars are 3-4 mm.
Nipple Reconstruction:
The ‘cherry on the cake’ is a nipple reconstruction where 3 small flaps of skin around 15mm long are raised up and gathered around to make a nipple. Once healed a tattoo can be applied to colour in the areola and complete the reconstruction. Alone a day-case procedure under local anaesthetic taking around 45 minutes.