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Breast Reconstruction
in Santa Ana and San Clemente
Welcome To A New Beautiful You
For many women who have overcome breast cancer, reconstruction is a gratifying culmination to their experience. Rebuilding one or both breasts greatly improves a breast cancer patient’s quality of life, restoring an aesthetically appealing form and giving her the confidence to reengage in social and professional settings.
Dr. Ali Roham frequently works with women who have had — or are facing — mastectomy. He is highly sought after for his surgical skill with even the most complex reconstructive surgeries. If you are looking for a talented, compassionate breast reconstruction surgeon, you could not be in better hands. Dr. Roham understands how deeply personal breast reconstruction decisions can be, and he will help you make the right choices for your unique circumstances.
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Options for Breast Reconstruction
Today’s breast reconstruction patient can choose between several options, all of which can recreate breasts that are very similar in shape, contour and volume to natural breasts.
Implant-Based Reconstruction
The first option is to reconstruct one or both breasts using saline or silicone implants. Dr. Roham uses only the most-studied implants for complete patient safety. Sometimes tissue expander devices are used to gradually stretch the breast skin so it can accommodate an implant. The expander is placed in the chest empty, and periodically filled with saline or air to stretch the chest skin and tissues. After a few weeks, the expander is removed and replaced with an implant.
Flap-Based Reconstruction
The next option is to use your own tissue to rebuild one or both breasts. This approach is referred to as “flap-based” reconstruction. Tissue is taken from the abdomen, back, buttocks or thigh and used to form the new breast(s). The tissue flap may be left connected to its underlying blood supply and tunneled beneath the skin to the chest area; alternatively, it can be detached and transplanted to the chest.
An additional benefit of flap-based reconstruction is that the donor area from which the tissue is taken is left looking flatter and tighter after treatment — i.e., in the case of an abdominal flap, the effects on the stomach contour are similar to what can be achieved through tummy tuck.
Nipple Reconstruction / Tattooing
After the reconstructed breasts have healed, medical tattooing, skin grafts or other techniques can be used to reconstruct the nipples/areolas for breasts that look completely natural.
Treatment Details
Breast reconstruction may be unilateral (i.e., one breast is treated) or bilateral (both breasts are treated). In some cases where only one breast needs reconstructing, Dr. Roham may also operate on the unaffected breast to make both breasts look as similar and balanced as possible. The unaffected breast may be augmented with a small implant, reduced or lifted to bring it in line with the reconstructed breast.
Timing is another important consideration. Breast reconstruction may be immediate, meaning it is performed at the time of mastectomy, or delayed until a later date. Dr. Roham will work with you, your oncologist and the rest of your medical team to determine the ideal timing for your reconstruction, depending on your cancer treatment plan, the condition of your skin, your personal preferences and your doctors’ recommendations.
Request More Information About Breast Reconstruction
If you would like to learn more about breast reconstruction with Dr. Roham, we invite you to call or email our practice today.