Superior Care for Breast Cancer Patients
Breast Reconstruction Baton Rouge
REFERRAL EXPECTATIONS
What to expect for your reconstruction
We understand that the process of undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction can be a confusing and difficult time. Dr. Cusimano specializes in breast reconstruction procedures of all types in Baton Rouge, LA, including implant-based, oncoplastic reduction, and tissue reconstruction, so you can be sure your reconstructive surgery will be tailored to your needs.
ASK YOUR QUESTIONS
PROCEDURE OPTIONS
Recommended procedures:
INSURANCE COVERAGE
RECOVERY OPTIONS
Overall, breast reconstruction recovery will vary depending on your individual procedure. However, our team will work with you to help ensure you fully understand your individual healing process for a quick and easy recovery.
IS BREAST RECONSTRUCTION RIGHT FOR ME?
If you have had or are preparing to have a mastectomy as part of breast cancer treatment in Baton Rouge, you probably have a lot of questions on your mind, not least of which is how your physical appearance is going to change after the procedure.
When facing breast removal, some women know ahead of time that they want breast reconstruction surgery to take place immediately after mastectomy or lumpectomy. Others discover they want it after they’ve recovered from breast cancer treatment. However, breast reconstruction is not always a necessary procedure, as it will require additional surgery, result in minimal scarring, and won’t have the exact same sensation as the original breast tissue.
To know if breast reconstruction, whether immediate or delayed, is right for you, it’s helpful to talk to a board-certified plastic surgeon, like Dr. Luke Cusimano to learn more about the procedure and its potential results.
Breast reconstruction can help give breasts the appearance and fullness they had pre-surgery, with permanent results. Because of this, reconstruction surgery can boost self-confidence by providing breast cancer patients the physique they knew and loved, helping clothes fit without using external prosthetics.
IMPLANT-BASED BREAST RECONSTRUCTION
Breast reconstruction with implants begins by a process of slowly expanding the chest pocket where the breast implant will be placed with an inflatable tissue expander. Once the breast skin has stretched and the reconstructed breast has grown to the desired size, Dr. Cusimano can then perform surgery to replace the tissue expander with a semi-permanent breast implant, filled with either saline, silicone gel, or form-stable silicone.
If planned ahead of time, breast cancer patients can choose to undergo what’s known as direct-to-implant surgery to skip the step of expanding the breast pocket by having the implant placed immediately after a mastectomy is performed. Ask your cancer treatment provider and consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to find out if direct-to-implant may be right for you.
A woman undergoing implant reconstruction may have several options for implant placement that will affect the breasts’ final condition and appearance. Breast implants can be placed in different positions in relation to the chest wall: either above the chest muscle or under the chest muscle. During your consultation with Dr. Cusimano in Baton Rouge, he can give you advice, including the pros and cons of each procedure, and decide which will provide the results you want.
ONCOPLASTIC REDUCTION (LUMPECTOMY WITH BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY)
For women who have excessively large breasts and are preparing to undergo a lumpectomy as part of their cancer treatment, Dr. Cusimano can perform a breast reduction and breast lift at the time of lumpectomy to reduce recovery and provide the breast shape you want.
Once the lumpectomy is performed, Dr. Cusimano will assess what additional tissue needs to be removed to create a natural and even breast mound, while raising the areola and nipple for a perkier, more youthful appearance. This procedure keeps tissues connected to the nipple and areola, removing the need for nipple reconstruction after a breast reduction.
TISSUE RECONSTRUCTION
Tissue reconstruction, or autologous breast reconstruction, uses your own tissue and body fat to re-create the shape of your breasts. As fat and excess tissue can be stored anywhere on the body, there are many options for tissue breast reconstruction. Depending on your body type and shape, these include DIEP flap (abdomen), PAP flap (thigh), SGAP flap (buttocks), and TDAP flap (bra line).
Flap techniques are complicated plastic surgery procedures that should only be performed by board-certified doctors who have received special training in both reconstruction and microsurgery, which Dr. Cusimano has. These plastic surgeries can be a highly effective way to contour the body while also reconstructing breasts. To find out if any of these tissue reconstruction techniques are right for you, Dr. Cusimano will give you an examination and talk about your goals with mastectomy and breast reconstruction during a consultation in our Baton Rouge, LA office.
Before & After
GALLERY
Insurance Coverage
The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 requires all group health plans that pay for mastectomy and to also cover prostheses and reconstructive procedures. In addition, Medicare covers breast reconstruction, while Medicaid coverage can vary from state to state. Cusimano MD Plastic Surgery accepts these insurances.