Breast Reconstruction in Springfield

Being diagnosed with breast cancer or breast disease is an emotional time that is also often clouded by confusion. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Glen Brooks is here to provide you with information, support, and guidance throughout your process of treatment and recovery. Breast reconstruction is often an option many Hartford and Springfield women consider when faced with the loss of one or both breasts due to mastectomy.

To learn more about your breast reconstruction options, request a consultation online with Dr. Brooks or call his office on the Longmeadow Town Green at (413) 565-4400.

Breast Reconstruction
 Before & After Photos

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Your Options

If you decide on breast reconstruction, you will have a few more decisions to make. Dr. Brooks and his staff will take the time to educate you about your options and help you make the best decision for your own unique physical and emotional needs.

The first decision is whether to undergo reconstruction right after your mastectomy, called an “immediate reconstruction,” or wait until later, called a “delayed reconstruction.” The majority of women choose immediate reconstruction to avoid seeing themselves without a breast and to circumvent a subsequent surgery and recovery period.

Regardless of when the reconstruction is performed, you will also need to choose the reconstruction technique, which is usually either an implant-based reconstruction or a flap reconstruction.

Implant-Based Reconstruction

The majority of our patients choose to have their breast replaced with a saline or silicone implant that is placed beneath the chest muscle or in some cases, prepectoral, above the muscle (with less pain and no implant motion associated with muscle use) much like breast augmentation surgery. Often, a tissue expander is placed immediately following mastectomy to act as a spacer. After a couple of months, Dr. Brooks performs a second surgery to replace the tissue expander with a breast implant.

Flap Reconstruction

The flap reconstruction technique involves transplanting your own live skin, muscle, and fat from another area of the body (such as the tummy or back) to replace the breast. This more invasive option involves a longer surgery and recovery period, and results in an additional set of scars at the donor site. Patients choose this technique because their own tissue is used and an implant is not needed.

With both techniques, the nipple and areola can also be recreated in a subsequent procedure for a more complete and natural looking breast. Dr. Brooks also often incorporates fat grafting into both mastectomy and lumpectomy procedures to further improve and refine results. Fat grafting is a technique that uses unwanted fat from one area of your body to augment and reshape your breasts. Because it uses your own tissue, it’s quite well-tolerated and typically yields long-lasting results.

Dr. Glen Brooks

Double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Glen S. Brooks combines advanced surgical techniques with a small-town friendliness that makes patients feel at home and confident. A Harvard-trained surgeon who's highly regarded by his peers. Dr. Brooks ensures that your goals and needs always come first.

Meet Dr. Brooks

Results

While a reconstructed breast will not look identical to a natural breast, Dr. Brooks’ patients are usually very happy that they chose reconstructive surgery. When chosen with realistic expectations, this procedure can help restore a woman’s self-confidence and body image.

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