Women in Atlantic City, NJ, who have lost one or both breasts from breast cancer, now have hope for restoring their looks and confidence. Dr. Mohit Sood is a board-certified New Jersey plastic and reconstructive surgeon who is an expert at helping women restore their appearance and gain a new, more positive outlook on life.

What is Breast Reconstruction Surgery?

A breast reconstruction procedure rebuilds the breasts that have been removed during cancer treatment. This can be done by using fat or muscle from the patient’s body, or also by inserting an implant. Sometimes, one breast will be reduced in size to better match the other. The approach used depends on the patient’s mastectomy and their unique anatomy.

What are The Benefits of Breast Reconstruction?

The benefits of this surgery can be enormous, as it goes a long way towards healing the emotional scars caused by cancer. Breast reconstruction helps restore a woman’s looks and also makes it easier to find new clothing and lingerie.

How is a Breast Reconstruction Procedure Performed?

There is more than one approach for reconstructing a breast. Both methods do require anesthesia, either in the form of IV sedation to induce a light slumber or general anesthesia that puts the patient fully to sleep. Once the patient is sedated, Dr. Sood will do one or more of these procedures:

  • Create a TRAM (Transverse Rectus Abdominus Myocutaneous) flap using fat, muscle and skin from the abdomen to create a new breast.
  • Create a DIEP (Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator) or SGAP (Superior Gluteal Artery Perforator) flap with tissue from the abdomen or buttocks. With these techniques, only fat and skin are removed from the patient.
  • Put a tissue expander under the skin in order to stretch it, and to make room for the breast implant. This piece is left in for a period of four to six months, so it has plenty of time to work on stretching the skin.

The breast implants may actually be added at a later time, no matter what procedure is used. The whole breast reconstruction is a multi-step process. The final step is the reconstruction and replacement of the patient’s nipple and areola.

After the reconstruction is complete and healed, the patient can enjoy the confidence that comes with a new and healthy look.