I read about this procedure in the “Daily Mail” last week and wondered how I can find out which NHS trusts offer it…I am in the London area.
Also, have any of you had this procedure? If so, what is your opinion? How long did you stay in hospital and what is the recovery time? Also, does it require 1 or 2 procedures (article didn’t make it clear) and in particular, what about symmetry with the other ‘good’ breast? Is a separate procedure still required for that or is it done in an all in one procedure with the pigskin implant? I’m lined up to have my temporary saline implant removed and replaced with a silicone one. I had to have radiotheraphy, which has adversely affected my implant and made it hard and uncomfortable. I don’t want to go through another op and have decided just to replace my implant and so far only a silicone one has been offered to me, although my consultant has told me that it could well go hard again and if it did, I’d have to live with it!!! Any advice/help gratefully appreciated…
Thank you for reading…
I had my (immediate) strattice recon done at beginning of July so I am around 7 weeks post op. I was in hospital 4 nights although could have gone home after 3 . Have recovered very quickly,last drain out after 8 days, driving after 2 weeks and this week I have driven around 400 miles. However I do ache a bit now. I was delighted at first, amazing job, pretty good symmetry. It was rock solid but has softened a bit. I am less happy with it now I think just because it is sinking in that it is forever. It changed every day so I don’t know how it will look in a few months. I had it done same place as lady in paper. I also know that they do it at the Marsden.
Thanks everso much for the information. Overall, would you recommend this procedure? Did you need just the one op or will you need another one? Is it a good match with your unaffected breast? My saline implant has gone very hard and is painful…is your implant soft? Did the consultant tell you whether or not it could become hard or damaged and how long it will last for? If something bad were to happen (am sure it won’t!) what would be done…could they take it out and offer you something else for example?
Sorry for all the questions, but you are the only person who I’ve come across who has had this procedure so it’s very difficult to find out any information…
Many thanks…
Hi Mallard,
I am also in the same situation as yourself. In brief Nov 09 single mx with temp tissue expander, Nov 09 preventative mx to the right and two expander implants put in, capsular contraction released to the left which had formed from radiotherapy. The left one went hard from radiation again almost immediatley and I had another operation just 6 weeks ago to release the capsule formation. Unfortunatley the capsule is forming already and I face another operation, the surgeon said that if it didnt work this time he would give me the strattice and wrap it around the implants. These will give a very ‘fake’ look to the implants which i didnt mind to be honest i just wanted to be comfortable I have to go back in 6 months time to get this, i live in the midlands, i think it is widely available within the NHS. My rads finished last feb, and my surgeon said that the effects of them can last for up to three yrs, its good stuff eh !!! just wanted to let you know your not alone :-/ xxx
Hi Mallard and smallstar,
There are quite a few posts about this proceedure that think would help you both, I certainly read through some before my op. Scroll down the page that this one is on and there is one entitled Strattice and on page 2 there is one entitled Double mx with Strattice.
I am not sure I can be that helpful as I had an immediate recon and it is still earlydays but I will try to answer some of your questions.
-I am expecting not to have any more ops to affected breast but possibly lifting the unaffected one at some point in the future if I really think it is necessary.
- As far as I know if need be they could remove the implant but obviously not the Strattice as my body will have absorbed it.
- I have a silicone implant so can not tell you whether it is harder or softer than saline and don’t know how soft I can expect it to become. All I know is that it (the breast , so not just the implant but the muscle and strattice aswell) is substantially softer than it was immediately after surgery but still very firm. I can’t lie on my front yet and it really annoys/upsets me when I try to have a cuddle because it is uncomfortable.
- I am not sure if I can recommend the proceedure as I have no real knowledge of anything else. However I have seen some good results from it and I gather that it can help prevent Capsular contraction which is prob why you are being recommended it.
Good luck finding those other threads and making your decision . I hope it works for you.
A friend of mine recently had a boob job (not BC related) and I felt hers (for science, not for fun) and they did feel hard but I was surprised at how realistic they were! She had a boob job many years ago too (she wanted to go bigger this time) and she said that it’s normal for them to be hard feeling for a few months but they gradually soften up and are very realistic feeling.
Hi
just been told I need a full mx after two failed lumpectomies.
have decided to have immediate rec with implant and organic mesh.
HOWEVER
the consultant said that Strattice has recently been banned in France and Belgium though ‘not yet’ in the UK and he recalled the big scare with the PIP implants a few years ago by which the UK also banned them after the french did.
i am now concerned i am making a mistake having the organic mesh?
Instead there seems to be a Titanium alternative.
has anyone got any info on which to go for?
I had mx with immediate recon, silicon implant and pigskin, back in sep 14. Unfortunately it got infected during chemo so had to come out.
After chemo I had an expander put in with titanium as consultant thought that would be safer for me. Had rads 6 weeks later (July). It has hardened up since rads but not painful.
My symmetry is not good as the pec muscle hasn’t settled down. It was lifted to put the implant under then sewn to the strattice so I have a bulging pec on one side which we’re hoping will drop… Eventually!
Plan is to replace the expander with silicon in the new year and may be do sn uplift on the other side. It’s a long process.
Hi Rose, I had the expander put in in may so only 6 months. Not painful, just looks a bit Dolly Parton, compared to Droopy on the other side!
I did yoga (and driving) throughout treatment, 3 weeks after mx and only a week or so after expander.
I’m a bit restricted post rads, but I’m normally ubba flexible!!