Q1. Do I need a breast reconstruction surgery?
Ans: Some breast cancer patients decide that they do not rebuild, or do not want to undergo any further surgery. However, breast cancer patients can still choose to wear prosthesis (artificial breast), or the use of clothing shelter.
 
Q2. What breast reconstruction options do I have if I will receive a mastectomy?
Ans: Reconstruction surgery can be divided into three categories:

1. Implant (tissue dilator, saline falsies, jelly silicone falsies, water droplets jelly silicone falsies)
2. Your body tissue (rectus abdominis flap, back muscle flap)
3. Implant combine with their own body tissue (falsies+ back muscle flap) 

All reconstruction operations may require one or more surgeries and take some time to complete.

Q3. How long do you need to prepare for breast reconstruction?
Ans: The time required for breast reconstruction varies from person to person, depending on how much surgery is needed and need to cooperate with the treatment of cancer. The reconstruction process generally takes 6 months to one year, especially early cancer without further treatment. There is a common rebuild schedule:

1. The first operation to rebuild the breast shape, waiting for about three months to heal, if you need chemotherapy or radiation therapy the time will increase.
2. Surgical modification or balance the already been do the first reconstruction operation breast, waiting for about 2 to 3 months to heal, if necessary, the steps can be repeated.
3. Surgery reconstruction of nipples and areola.

 
Q4. What if my rebuild breast and my original natural breast asymmetry? How to do?
Ans: The ultimate goal of breast reconstruction is to create a symmetrical breast, especially when wearing clothing cannot found the difference, but the reconstruction and the original natural breast to be exactly the same is very difficult. For some patients, the following can be used to improve the asymmetric situation:

1. Implant the implant into a natural breast to make it larger (breast augmentation surgery)
2. Reduction of natural breast tissue (shrinkage surgery)
3. Improve breast position (breast fixation)

Q5. If I need chemotherapy?
Ans: Breast reconstruction should not delay the chemotherapy, usually your oncologist will wait for your mastectomy and rebuild the wound after healing before starting, if there are complications such as wound healing problems or infection, chemotherapy may be delayed. If you are receiving tissue expansion (tissue dilator), chemotherapy can be done on time, until the chemotherapy is completed, your plastic surgeon usually wait at least a month later, and then consider further reconstruction surgery.
 
Q6. What if i need radiotherapy (electrotherapy)?
Ans: You may have to complete the radiotherapy until you have to undergo a delayed breast reconstruction because radiotherapy may damage your rebuild and affect the final cosmetic effect. If you need radiotherapy, your plastic surgeon may advise you to use your organization for delayed breast reconstruction. If the "implant" is used for breast reconstruction, the risk of reconstruction will be higher because radiotherapy often leads to incidental complications include:

• Infection
• Severe capsular contracture (Hardened scar tissue around the implant)
• Hydrops
• Poor cosmetic performance

If you need radiotherapy, mastectomy can still be placed tissue dilator after mastectomy, tissue dilator can keep the skin "area", it provides a breast shape, 6 to 8 weeks after radiotherapy treatment, you and your doctor can plan the next reconstruction, you can use the choice of autologous tissue or falsies to implant, but this still needs detailed planning and discussion.
 
Q7. The risk of breast reconstruction surgery?
Ans: Pain, bleeding, infection, wound healing problems, sensory changes, fluid accumulation (such as hematoma and serum swollen), scarring, hernia, flap partial or complete loss, implant loss, asymmetry, limited cosmetic effect and so on.

In October 1998, the US Congress passed the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act, which required group medical and personal health insurance to cover the mastectomy after breast reconstruction surgery. Under normal circumstances, the law states that these should include:
• Breast reconstruction after breast surgery
• The operation of the side breast makes it a symmetrical appearance with the reconstructed breast
• All stages after implants (falsies) and mastectomy include rehabilitation
 
Dr. Xie Chenghan: In Taiwan, the current health insurance does not pay, and part of the commercial insurance will pay full or partial payment. Please contact your insurance company to ensure that your operating costs are provided by the insurance company.