Implants after radiotherapy

[dib]

Hi,I had ld flap and implants but the radiated side is slightly misshapen but other non radiated side is perfect.Im still happy with end result though.Good luck,
Di.x

[Rattles]

Hi Nat,
its a tough decision. maybe you wont want to know about my experience, but decided that if I were in your shoes I would want to have as many experiences as possible.
I had bilateral mastecomies with implants in feb. this was after b/c in 2009 which involved chemo and rads (and a WLE). The reconstruction failed after 4 months due to the rads which led to poor healing and an infection.
My surgeon specialises in this type of surgery and he said he had not had a patient with my issues before. However, I have read that in the US there seems to be more experience of the difficulties I had and I gather that infection can be an issue with implants. Having said this, come across plenty of ladies with implants with no problems.
Like you, I fear surgery which is so invasive. Not sure what I will do yet.
Good luck, Rattles x

[RoadRunner]

I had a single mx followed by a delayed LD recon three years later. The problem is that skin that has been irradiated does not stretch well. I had a flap of skin taken from my back along with the LD muscle to get around this issue, plus an impalnt. I have always been slim, so no fat to use for the recon. My recon is a C cup. Two years on I have had no problems so far, although my understanding is that implants usually need replacing within ten years when there has been radiotherapy as capsular contraction will eventually happen. As the LD flap was my only option I am fine with that.

[Guest user]

Hi Nat,

I really would take the time to investigate all the options open to you and try to make whichever is the best decision for you. Hopefully, you will be living with your new body for a very long time so you want to "get it right". Why not see if there is a breast reconstruction information evening available at a hospital nearby, or your breast care nurse should be able to put you in touch with others who are willing to show you their breast reconstructions and tell you what their experience was.

Try not to worry too much about the operation. You will be able to get through it, and a few weeks down the line it will just be a distant memory. I am an enormous wimp - would be petrified at the thought of having a tooth pulled - but underwent a reduction and uplift op four years ago. It was the best thing I ever did, and I finally felt normal again after sixteen years of being lopsided. I was petrified, but it wasn't anything like as dreadful as I had thought it would be.

Hope this helps,

Margaret x

[BrainyBlonde]

Deleted because posted twice.
Jan
x

[BrainyBlonde]

Hi there,
I had a double reconstruction with permanent implants on the 21st September and on one side I had had radiotherapy after the mx. I had a second mx and then LD flap reconstruction with muscle taken from my back on both sides plus the implants. Although the surgeon said that aesthetically the results wouldn't be as good on the side that had had rads it would still be possible as long as I didn't want to go too big! I am now 7 weeks post op and, touch wood, everything is fine. The rads side is a bit darker and slightly more scarring because of the rads but with a bra you can't tell at all. I was told that you can't have expander implants after rads though. I am now a C cup and everyone who has had a peek says they are great! Hope that this helps.
Jan
x

[CheshireCheese]

Hi Nat
I also investigated options for reconstruction, although in my case I was looking for an increase in volume after a big lumpectomy (more like a quandrantectomy) combined with a breast reduction and lift which was intended to hide the damage but ended up too small.
I was told that an implant was unlikely to be successful in a breast that had undergone radiotherapy because the RT damages the blood supply and therefore increases the chances of encapsulation of the implant. It also limits other options, again because of the damaged blood supply.
I ended up having stem cell enriched lipofill on the side that had RT, but I could only do that because I still had "a breast" on that side, although very small. I believe some surgeons in the US are attemtping to create an entire breast from fat, but I don't know any details.
CC x

[ndp]

Hi
I had double mastectomy nearly two years ago followed by chemo then radiotherapy. I have recently seen a surgeon to discuss reconstruction as I felt ready and had in my mind that I could have two little implants in a small operation. I was SO disappointed when they said that they wouldn't give me an implant on the side that had radio treatment.
I am now being referred to PS to see what other options are available for me - see if I have enough fat on the tummy etc. The thing is, these other operations scare me so much that I don't think I'd be brave enough to go through with them.
Has anyone else had implants after radiotherapy? Any problems? I only want tiny boobs so my breastbone doesn't stick out!
Thanks for any posts.
Nat