The objective of corrective, or “revision” surgery, is to address issues that occurred during or after breast reconstruction surgery that affect the quality of the patient’s life and health.
Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jacob Bloom provides breast reconstruction to patients in Chicago, IL, and surrounding locations.
Need for Corrective Breast Reconstruction Surgery
A patient may choose to undergo corrective plastic surgery when a previous breast reconstruction attempt may have been unsuccessful (for instance, they have had breast implants removed because of an infection.)
Another reason for a revision procedure could be that the mastectomy or reconstruction created poor aesthetic outcomes.
Or the patient may have developed complications over time, such as implant rupture or a hernia in the abdominal area where they had the tissue removed to create the breast.
Patients who are unhappy with the outcomes of a reconstruction surgery or have symptoms that could mean that they developed a complication may find it worthwhile to seek out a plastic surgeon with significant experience in corrective procedures and to understand their options.
Breast reconstruction complications include the following:
- Breast discomfort or pain
- Increasing firmness or tautness of the reconstructed breast
- Changes in the size, shape, or position of the breast
- Breast implant not in the original position
- A lump or area of firmness in the breast
Corrective surgery is always individualized to the patient’s unique situation. The options will depend on what occurred during or after the previous reconstruction procedure.
For example, if the patient wants to rebuild a breast that lost some skin due to tissue disintegration or infection, the surgeon may need to use a flap of tissue from another area of the body rather than an implant.
If the patient already had tissue sourced from a donor site on her body (such as the belly) for an earlier attempt at reconstruction, the surgeon may need to use a different donor site (such as the buttocks) for another tissue-based reconstruction procedure.
Customized Corrective Breast Reconstruction
Revision cosmetic surgery can address issues that sometimes occur after breast reconstruction, such as asymmetry between breasts, pain, or implant displacement.
The patient may have multiple issues that she seeks correction for. The plastic surgeon will work with the patient to create a customized surgery plan to suit her individual needs.
Timing of Corrective Surgery
The patient may require corrective surgery soon after the initial reconstruction procedure or years later. Sometimes the plastic surgeon may recommend that the patient waits for a few months after her initial reconstruction surgery to see if a troublesome defect resolves on its own.
It is normal for the patient to experience some inflammation, imbalance, wrinkling, or other minor distortion in the breast appearance while the tissues heal. If the patient has breast implants, they may require a few months to “settle” into position.
In case the patient is still undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, they will need to complete those treatments prior to undergoing a corrective procedure.
Cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jacob Bloom receives patients from Chicago, IL, and nearby areas for breast reconstruction.