What is prophylactic bilateral mastectomy?
Listen to pronunciation. (by-LA-teh-rul PROH-fih-LAK-tik ma-STEK-toh-mee) Surgery to remove both breasts in order to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.
How long can a breast tissue expander stay in?
The tissue expanders will remain in place for a minimum of 8 weeks after completing the last tissue expansion.
How long does a double mastectomy surgery with expanders take?
This surgery will be done 4 to 6 weeks after the expansion is completed so that your skin can rest. This date may change if you need other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The surgery to take out the tissue expander and insert the permanent implant takes about 1 hour for each side.
Is a prophylactic double mastectomy appropriate?
Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by at least 95 percent in women who have a deleterious (disease-causing) mutation in the BRCA1 gene or the BRCA2 gene and by up to 90 percent in women who have a strong family history of breast cancer (2-5).
What can go wrong with tissue expanders?
A small percentage of patients develop an infection around the expander. While this may occur at any time, it’s most often seen within a few weeks after the expander is inserted. In some cases, the expander may need to be removed for several months until the infection clears.
Do implants feel better than tissue expanders?
Once your implants are placed, you will likely feel more comfortable than you did with the tissue expander. Additional procedures including the creation of a nipple and areola, fat grafting, and scar revision are usually performed about 3 months after your implant is placed and the scar is healed.
Is prophylactic mastectomy a good idea?
Can a Prophylactic Mastectomy Prevent Breast Cancer? A recent study suggests that prophylactic bilateral mastectomy may reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 100% if there is a strong family history of breast cancer or a BRCA genetic mutation.
