Can you tell me the side effects of mastectomy? what about breast reconstruction?

Many!: A mastectomy removes the entire breast including the nipple. It leaves a diagonal scar about 6 inches long. Pain is minimal; most women report numbness of their chest. A flexible tube drains fluid from the incision for 2-3 weeks. Reconstruction can be done at the same time as the mastectomy or later. For info on reconstruction options, check out http://www.Breastcancer.Org/treatment/surgery/.

Deformity: A mastectomy results in a significant deformity to the chest wall, and this can cause emotional and psychological distress as well. There is also a variable level of numbness to the remaining skin. Breast reconstruction can result in asymmetry as compared to the uninvolved breast, but this is often corrected by operating on the uninvolved breast.

Side effects: Though there are different types of mastectomies, depending on the type of cancer and its location, mastectomy will generally leave numbness on the chest wall and possibly the inner arm. This may be temporary or permanent. With reconstruction, the side effects depend on the type and timing of the reconstruction. This should be discussed with you breast and reconstruction surgeons.

Side effects: Mastectomy without reconstruction results in a major deformity of the chest wall and significant asymmetry when compared to the other breast. Reconstruction is meant to restore what was removed.

will loose breast: You will loose breast, with it the physical female form which may affect you psychologically as well.Of course, you can have breastreconstruction.Today, becsause of advancement in technique some of the reconstructed breasts looks no less attractive than the affected breast which has been removed for medical reason..This reconstruction could be done at the time of first surgery of mastectomy.

Breast surgery: A skin sparing mastectomy is most commonly performed in immediate reconstruction that i perform. I help patient decide on using fat graft, implants, or flaps. This discussions revolve around a number of factors like lifestyle, expectations for size and shape. I usually spend over an hour personally discussing breast reconstruction options with each of my patients.

-ve Mast & +ve Recon: Mastectomy creates an acquired absence of breast with associated scarring and deformity as well as having significant psychosocial impact. Reconstruction on the other hand tries to make the person 'whole' again by creating a breast from either your own body tissues or with implants followed by recreation of a nipple areolar complex. Each procedure will have some side effects but talk to your md.