Current trends in breast reconstruction

Abstract

Breast reconstruction is nowadays a component of surgical treatment of breast cancer; therefore plastic surgeons are widely involved in breast reconstruction procedures either after mastectomy or after wide quadrantectomy. The aim is to reduce the distortion of breast shape and to improve the aesthetic outcome of the oncological procedure taking in account the symmetric appearance of the breasts. In post quadrantectomy reconstruction, breast reshaping with mammoplasty pattern could be applied in large and ptotic breast; otherwise flaps from lateral thoracic area could be used as well in post mastectomy reconstruction. In the case of mastectomy, the mastectomy procedure itself has become increasingly conservative, thus allowing an improvement in the aesthetic results of the reconstruction, especially if an implant is used. If adequate thickness of the mastectomy flap is preserved, the prosthesis can be placed in front of the muscle (prepectoral reconstruction), rather than behind the muscle (submuscular reconstruction). In prepectoral reconstruction the postoperative recovery is easier and less distressing for the patient and the postoperative appearance is more natural then in submuscular reconstruction. Autologous breast reconstruction implies the use of flaps (tissue taken from donor areas and used to reconstruct the breast area after appropriate molding), this technique allows to obtain a natural appearance of the breast with similar characteristics to the original one, and can be used in the radiated field. Different options of flaps include flaps from back area (local flaps) and flaps from distant areas (free flaps), basically from abdomen and inner tight.