Breast Reconstruction after Mastectomy Using the Temporary Expander

TLDR

The paper reviews contralateral round dermal mastopexy with nipple enlargement, contralateral subcutaneous mastectomy via a similar mastopexy, and nipple reconstruction. The study describes breast reconstruction after radical mastectomy using a temporary subcutaneous tissue expander. The technique expands the remaining chest skin to restore lost tissue and then inserts a smaller permanent implant, and was applied to 68 patients with an average 18‑month follow‑up. The average expansion period was 6 weeks, yielding reconstructed breast volumes of 300–400 cc.

Abstract

Breast reconstruction after a radical mastectomy using the temporary subcutaneous tissue expander is described. The main principle of this method is recovery of the amount of lost tissue through expansion of the remaining chest skin to large proportions and filling of the breast envelope with a smaller permanent mammary implant. Sixty-eight patients were reconstructed with an average follow-up of 18 months. Average expansion time for breast development was 6 weeks, with an average reconstructed breast size of 300 to 400 cc. Contralateral round dermal mastopexy with simultaneous nipple enlargement, contralateral subcutaneous mastectomy through a similar round dermal mastopexy, and reconstruction of the nipple are discussed.