If you have had a mastectomy or a doctor has told you that you will need one, breast reconstruction may be an option for you. Dr. Kobienia performs breast reconstruction as a specialized series of operations designed to recreate your breast as closely as possible to its original shape. Breast reconstruction can be a positive step to heal the emotional trauma from breast cancer and take charge of moving forward.

This procedure offers women many benefits, including:

• Enhanced Self-Esteem – We understand that choosing to undergo breast reconstruction is about so much more than just looking good. It’s about feeling great inside and out. Dr. Kobienia helps women regain confidence by restoring lost tissue due to breast cancer so they can feel complete–physically and emotionally.
• Renewed Sense of Identity – Breasts play a big part in a woman’s identity. Women who receive a mastectomy may feel less feminine or as though they’ve lost a part of themselves. We help women regain a sense of identity and feel confident in their bodies.
• Restored Shape and Symmetry – Whether you opt for breast implants or reconstruction using flap surgery techniques, breast reconstruction enhances your figure and allows you to fill out your favorite clothes again.
• Improved Quality of Life – Losing a breast can be difficult and challenging, affecting your quality of life. Breast reconstruction allows patients to focus on starting a new chapter of their life and moving on from their breast cancer journey.

Dr. Kobienia has experience and training in the latest reconstructive surgery techniques, and he can work closely with your breast cancer surgeon to plan your surgery.

Dr. Kobienia in Minneapolis, MN, can give you a refreshed look through breast enhancement surgery. Please contact us online or call 612-930-1111 to schedule a personal consultation to discuss your options.

Types of Breast Reconstruction

Broadly speaking, Dr. Kobienia performs two types of breast reconstruction: reconstruction with breast implants or reconstruction that creates a new breast mound using tissue (fat, skin, and, in some cases, muscle) from another part of your body. This latter technique is often referred to as a “flap” or autologous (“from your own body”) method.

Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction

Using an implant is one of the most reliable ways to replace a breast removed during breast cancer surgery. Dr. Kobienia can select an implant that will look very natural in comparison to your existing, unaffected breast. Implants may be placed immediately after a mastectomy or in a staged approach in cases where additional tissue is needed to sufficiently cover the implant.

• Direct-to-implant: Immediately after your mastectomy, Dr. Kobienia is able to prepare a pocket using the remaining breast tissue and place the breast implant. This surgery uses the incision from the mastectomy, so no additional scarring will result. For women who have small to moderate sized breasts before surgery, and want to maintain that look, direct-to-implant is often the best choice.
• Staged reconstruction with implants: For women who are not left with sufficient skin to cover an implant after mastectomy, a tissue expander can be placed to encourage new skin growth gradually over time. This then allows Dr. Kobienia to trade out the tissue expander for a breast implant. The tissue expander is gradually filled with saline during short, periodic visits to Dr. Kobienia’s office. Once enough skin is available to handle the volume of your selected breast implant, the expander is removed and the implant is put in place. This can be a good option for women who want a larger breast size than they had before their mastectomy.

Note that in either technique, a breast implant also can be placed in the unaffected breast to create improved balance and symmetry.

Flap Breast Reconstruction

For women who are not good candidates for implant-based reconstruction, or who prefer not to have an implant, an autologous approach can produce a very natural-feeling breast following mastectomy.

The downside is that the skin, tissue, and in some cases muscle that is used to create the new breast mound needs to be sourced from elsewhere on your body. This means that you will have evidence of surgery both on the breast and on the donor or source area, such as the abdomen, buttocks, or back. It also means you will likely experience more downtime and discomfort compared to an implant-based surgery.