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After a mastectomy, many female friends will feel discomfort, which is not only physical, but also psychological.
After all, breasts are not just a part of a woman's body, but also a symbol of confidence and beauty.
So, is it possible to reconstruct after a mastectomy? The answer is yes. Reconstructive surgery not only restores the appearance of the breast, but also helps patients regain their self-confidence.
Current status of breast cancer and its treatment
Breast cancer is familiar to everyone, especially female friends, who are even more familiar with this word. Now, breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer and has become the most common malignant tumor among Chinese women.
It sounds scary, but in fact, with the advancement of medicine, the cure rate of breast cancer is also increasing year by year.
There are many ways to treat breast cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy.
In the past, doctors believed that the larger the extent of the resection, the less likely it was to recur. Therefore, at that time, the surgery had to remove not only the breast, but also the pectoralis major, pectoralis minor muscle, and even the ribs, which made the patient's quality of life extremely poor.
Now, with the development of various treatments, doctors have become more conservative and precise in their surgical methods.
Many patients with early-stage breast cancer can be treated with breast-conserving surgery, but for intermediate and advanced breast cancer, total mastectomy is still required.
How and when to reconstruct breasts
After the removal of the breast, the patient is not only physically affected, but also psychologically stressed. To solve this problem, breast reconstruction surgery came into being.
Reconstructive surgery can help restore the appearance of your breasts and allow your female friends to regain their self-confidence. Currently, there are three main types of breast reconstruction: immediate reconstruction, deferred reconstruction, and deferred-immediate reconstruction.
Immediate reconstruction is performed at the same time as the mastectomy surgery, which means that at the same time as the removal of the breast, the doctor reconstructs the breast with a prosthesis or autologous tissue.
The benefits of this are that the surgical scar is more subtle, the cosmetic results are better, and the pain of a second surgery is reduced.
However, there is a higher risk of complications associated with this surgical modality, which may affect subsequent radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Deferred reconstruction is done after a period of resection of the breast cancer, and it is usually recommended to wait more than 6 months after the end of radiotherapy, when the skin and soft tissues at the surgical site have recovered from the acute radiation injury caused by radiotherapy.
The advantage of this is that it can effectively reduce the impact of radiotherapy on the reconstructed breast, making the reconstructed breast more natural. However, postponing reconstruction requires two surgeries, which increases the cost and pain of the procedure.
Postponement-Immediate reconstruction is a compromise by placing a tissue expander after the mastectomy, gradually expanding the skin and soft tissues of the chest wall by regularly filling the expander with water to achieve the desired breast volume before the permanent implant is implanted.
The advantage of this method is that the timing of the operation can be better adjusted without affecting the follow-up treatment, but the discomfort and cost during the treatment will also increase.
Psychological support and individualized treatment
After mastectomy, the patient not only suffers a huge physical blow, but also the psychological impact cannot be ignored.
As a part of a woman's body, breasts not only symbolize a woman's physical characteristics, but also carry a woman's self-esteem and self-confidence.
After a mastectomy, many patients experience severe emotional distress such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. This is where psychological support is particularly important.
Psychological support can be provided in a variety of ways, such as counselling, support groups, etc. Counsellors can help patients deal with negative emotions and build a positive state of mind.
Support groups provide a space for sharing and communication, where patients can find people who have similar experiences to them, support each other, and increase their confidence and strength to overcome the disease.
Individualized treatment is also crucial in the breast reconstruction process. Each patient's situation is different, and treatment options need to be individualized.
Doctors will develop a personalized treatment and rehabilitation plan based on factors such as the patient's age, severity of the condition, and past medical history.
For example, younger patients may be more concerned about the appearance and symmetry of the reconstructed breast, while older patients may be more concerned about the safety of the procedure and the speed of recovery.
The development of modern medical technology has also provided more options for breast reconstruction, such as 3D printing technology, which can be used to customize prostheses to ensure that the reconstructed breasts are more natural and more in line with the needs of patients.
With these emerging technologies, patients can not only achieve better treatment outcomes, but also improve their quality of life after surgery.
The importance of rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is an integral part of breast reconstruction surgery, and early intervention can significantly improve the recovery outcome.
After a patient's vital signs have stabilized, doctors often recommend starting rehabilitation as early as possible to maximize the body's plasticity and compensatory functions to help restore limb function.
Rehabilitation includes various forms such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychotherapy. Physiotherapy focuses on the patient's motor function, through a series of exercise training and physical stimulation, to help restore the movement capacity of the surgical site.
Occupational therapy focuses on helping people regain their ability to perform daily activities, such as dressing and eating. Psychotherapy helps patients adjust their mindset and develop a positive attitude towards life through professional training.
The timing of rehabilitation is also very important, studies have shown that three months after surgery is the golden period of rehabilitation, and rehabilitation exercises performed during this period are the most effective.
Even after this golden period, patients should still actively undergo rehabilitation training within six months after surgery, as the body's recovery ability is still strong during this time.
Even if the effect of rehabilitation may be reduced after more than half a year, there is still some room for improvement. Rehabilitation should be started as early as possible and continued for a long period of time to achieve the best recovery results.
Social support and comprehensive treatment
Success in breast reconstruction depends not only on medical means, but also on comprehensive social support.
Family care and support are essential for the patient's recovery, and family members should actively participate in rehabilitation training and provide psychological support and practical help to the patient.
For example, in daily life, family members can accompany patients through rehabilitation training to help them overcome difficulties and regain confidence.
Community rehabilitation centers can provide patients with professional rehabilitation training equipment and guidance, and organize some rehabilitation training classes to help patients communicate with each other and share their rehabilitation experiences.
The society should strengthen the publicity of breast cancer prevention and treatment knowledge, improve public health awareness, and reduce the incidence of breast cancer.
Comprehensive treatment is an important part of breast reconstruction, and a combination of medical treatment, rehabilitation and social support to develop a comprehensive rehabilitation plan can significantly improve the quality of life of patients.
With the active participation of all parties, patients can not only achieve better treatment outcomes, but also receive psychological comfort and support to better recover their health.
Discomfort after mastectomy can be improved with breast reconstruction surgery, the timing and modality of reconstructive surgery needs to be determined on a case-by-case basis, and psychological support and individualized treatment are equally important.
Through early intervention and comprehensive social support, patients can achieve the best possible recovery outcomes and regain their confidence and health.
What experiences and insights would you like to share? Feel free to leave a message in the comment area!