Surgery for breast cancer
Breast reconstruction is surgery to make a new breast after removal of the breast or part of the breast.
There are different types of breast reconstruction. Your surgeon and breast cancer nurse will talk to you through the different options available to you. The main types of breast reconstruction are:
implants to replace all or some of your breast tissue
having a breast shape made from your own body tissue
a combination of an implant and your own body tissue
Find out about the different types of reconstruction after surgery for breast cancer and when you might have it. We explain about some of the possible problems that can happen and exercises to do after breast reconstruction.
Breast reconstruction is surgery to make a new breast after removal of the breast or part of the breast. Find out about the different types, when you might have it, who can have it and surgery to your other breast. We also list some of the advantages and disadvantages of delayed and immediate reconstruction.
There are different types of breast reconstruction, find out what these are. Your surgeon and breast cancer nurse will talk to you through the different options available to you.
Implant surgery means using a silicone gel or salt water filled silicone balloon to recreate a breast shape after removal of a breast.
This type of reconstruction involves the surgeon taking skin, fat, and sometimes muscle from another part of your body and makes it into a new breast shape.
See the exercises to do after breast reconstruction surgery using a simple implant or a tissue expander implant.
Learn about exercises to do after breast reconstruction using muscles from your back. This is also known as breast reconstruction with a latissimus dorsi flap.
Last reviewed: 24 Jul 2023
Next review due: 24 Jul 2026

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