Breast Reconstruction Patients Educational Brochure - Mentor

6.5 Choosing the Right Implant for YouMemoryShape Breast Implants are available in several different sizes to help eachwoman achieve the result that is best for her body. If you are having one breastreconstructed, but the other one is not affected, you and your doctor can choose theimplant that will most closely match your unaffected breast.39Table 4 lists the MemoryShape Breast Implants that are available.Table 4MemoryShape Breast Implant Product SizesHeightBreast Implant Description Width ProfileMedium Height, Moderate ProfileSize Range120-775 ccWhen you and your doctor decide what you want your breasts to look like after reconstruction,your doctor can help you choose the right implant to get the effect you want. Your body type,height, and weight will be factors your surgeon considers to help you achieve the best result.Implant Size, Shape and SurfaceYour surgeon will examine your breast tissue and skin to figure out if you will have enoughto cover the implant. This is especially important after mastectomy. It is possible that youwill not have enough skin and/or breast tissue to cover the implant you desire. In this case,you may be offered several choices.Breast implants that are too big for the amount of breast tissue or skin can causeproblems. For example, your breasts may droop or sag earlier with implants that aretoo large. Implants that are too large can also cause implant extrusion, skin wrinkling,infection, and hematoma. You may be able to feel folds on the implant created by it beingsqueezed too tightly by the surrounding tissue and skin. If you do not have enough skin,and it is stretched too thin over the implant, you may be able to feel or see the edges of theimplant under your skin surface after surgery.6.6 Surgical Setting and AnesthesiaPrimary reconstruction surgery is usually performed in a hospital under general anesthesia.If you are having a mastectomy, the reconstruction will often be started at the same time. Youwill probably stay in the hospital for one or more nights after your surgery (inpatient surgery).Some stages of the reconstruction may be performed later in a different setting.For example, you may be able to have nipple reconstruction or placement of an implant(after having had a soft-tissue expander) as an outpatient. All anesthetics carry some risk.Discuss the risks and benefits of the anesthetic your surgeon and anesthetist recommendfor you before the surgery.6.7 Incision SitesIf you decide to have breast reconstruction with implants after a mastectomy, your doctorwill choose the incision sites based on the type of mastectomy surgery that is plannedfor you. The extent of the mastectomy you need will determine the length and locationof the incisions. In most cases, the breast reconstruction will start at the time of themastectomy procedure, so the surgeon will use the same incision. Even if you have abreast reconstruction that starts after you have had a mastectomy, the incision can usuallybe made at the mastectomy scar so you won’t have another scar.