Skip to main content
What Affects Intimacy & Satisfaction after Prophylactic Mastectomy & Breast Reconstruction



Hello boys and girls. Today we’re going to discuss mastectomies and breast reconstruction.

Definition: A mastectomy is a surgery that removes the whole or as much of the breast tissue as possible.

There are different types of mastectomies, but basically, the purpose of a mastectomy is to remove the cancerous breast from the body in order to prevent the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. It is (in my understanding) a life-saving measure.
With growing knowledge of genetic mutations and their association with an increased risk of breast cancer, more women are choosing to undergo risk-reducing mastectomy and breast reconstruction. This growing trend led researchers to examine what factors influence a patient’s intimate life and overall satisfaction with their breast reconstruction outcomes.

Choosing to undergo a prophylactic mastectomy is a major life-changing decision and can be a good option for patients who are at high risk of developing breast cancer. In certain situations, prophylactic mastectomy can reduce the risk of breast cancer by 90%-95%.

Breast reconstruction is also an option following preventative mastectomy and can be performed using implants or the patient’s own tissue. Regardless of the reconstructive procedure performed, changes in breast sensation and appearance may impact a patient’s intimate life and overall satisfaction with their final results.

It is crucial for surgeons and patients to have honest discussions regarding patient wishes and realistic expectations. This is called Shared Decision Making and I believe it is the most important aspect of patient-centered healthcare! Patients and their doctors should work together to make the decisions for individualized care. Time should be taken to discuss ALL options and the pros and cons of each before creating a surgery plan.
Although reconstructive techniques have come a long way, it is important for patients to understand final results will not always look or feel like what Mother Nature provided. For example, during the prophylactic mastectomy, nerves supplying feeling to the breast will be cut. This results in a lack of sensation or numbness in the breast. For patients choosing to have tissue-based reconstruction (like the DIEP flap), sensory nerve reconstruction can be performed and can help restore sensation to the breast. Unfortunately, this is not an option for implant reconstruction patients at this time.

Regardless of the procedure being performed, patients should know more than one procedure is typically required for optimal cosmetic results. Referred to as the “Revision Stage” or “Stage 2,” this procedure is designed to fine-tune the reconstructed breast(s) in order to improve the overall cosmetic appearance.

Women undergoing prophylactic mastectomy and breast reconstruction have many options available to them today. By understanding patient needs and discussing realistic expectations, overall satisfaction with reconstruction results and intimacy can be achieved.

Pamela Acker
Email: brececan2018@gmail.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Experts Are Rethinking Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer?

What is chemotherapy? It is also called “chemo,” it’s a method to treat cancer that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Not all women with breast cancer is necessity of chemo, but there are several situations in which chemo may be recommended. 1.    After surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) This method is used to try to kill the cancer cells that might have spread all over the body, even on imaging tests. If these cells are allowed grow, then again it will damage the cells in whole body. But this Adjuvant Chemo method will lower the risk of breast cancer coming back. 2. Before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) This method is used to try to shrink the tumor so it can be removed easily through surgery. To this method cancer will responds better. This also lower the risk of breast cancer coming back. 3.    For advanced breast cancer This method is used as a treatment when women whose cancer have spread outside the breast or underarm area, the treatment met...
Post a Comment
Read more

The significance of Probiotic in Breast Milk

The biologic standard of breast milk: The structure of breast milk is the biologic standard for baby nourishment.  Human milk likewise contains thousands of distinct bioactive particles that protect against disease and inflammation and add to immune development, organ improvement, and solid microbial colonization. A portion of these molecules, e.g., lactoferrin, are being explored as novel restorative agents. A dynamic, bioactive fluid, breast milk changes in composition from colostrum to late lactation, and shifts inside feeds, diurnally, and between mothers .  Human milk is high in protein in the first stage after birth, but then protein levels decrease.   The microbiome of breastfed babies made up for a low amount of certain amino acids by expanding the dimensions of microorganisms outfitted with the hereditary programming to synthesize such amino acids – eminently methionine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, cysteine, serine, threonine and arginine. Numerous...
Post a Comment
Read more

NEWLY DIAGNOSED with Breast Cancer

“It’s cancer.” “You have cancer.” “We found cancer.” It doesn’t matter how the words are framed. Those words will become a defining moment, a dividing line in your life. Yes, you have just stepped on to what may seem like a runaway train. The oxygen is sucked from the room, our chests may constrict, the words begin to sink in and for most of us, and our brains begin screaming, “Do something. Get it OUT!” It is in very rare cases that immediate action is necessary. For the majority of us, the most important thing to do at this moment is to stop, breathe and realize you will be faced with options. Decisions will be made and it is important to fully understand the treatment choices that are being offered by your doctors. First and most importantly, there is no “right way” to do cancer. There’s only the way that works best for you. Know what kind of patient you are. Some of us are fully immersed in our care while others may prefer to rely on a trusted friend o...
Post a Comment
Read more