Sometimes one can fall into the trap of only thinking of breast implant surgery as a vanity indulgence of Instagram models and reality stars. It is, of course, so much more than that. Breast reconstruction is a vitally important option for women undergoing mastectomy, and a two-stage approach using implants is by far the most common reconstruction technique. Thousands of women undergo this procedure every year – despite the conventional wisdom among many surgeons that the results of implant-based breast reconstruction don't hold up over the long term.
A new study by Akhil K. Seth, MD, and Peter G. Cordeiro, MD seems to contradict this and suggests that breast implants – post-mastectomy and aesthetic do not necessarily detirorate over time. their study shows that implant-based breast reconstruction remains stable at up to 12 years'.
Drs. Seth and Cordeiro believe that women making decisions about breast cancer treatment should be reassured that implant-based breast reconstruction can provide long-lasting results in terms of appearance and quality of life.
This news is very reassuring as many women who are having reconstructive surgery are worried by incomplete information often gleaned from unreliable sources. Post-operative stability is very important to women who have had breast implant surgery after a mastectomy. Physical well-being and overall patient satisfaction scores actually increased with long-term follow-up, suggesting that women feel better about their overall health after completing and recovering from their breast cancer treatment.
This was a large study so it has statistical weight to it. Cordeiro and Dr. Seth performed an objective critical analysis of the long-term outcomes of two-stage implant-based breast reconstruction in 2,284 women. These procedures – including reconstruction of both breasts in 1,205 patients related to surgeries performed between 1994 and 2016.
This information should also filter through surgeons working in the aesthetic side of breast implant surgery and let them give better long-term prognoses for their clients.
Admin is Blogger David Miller FRSA. M.Sc A respected British journalist based in Helsinki Finland. David's portfolio is at http://livewire.pressfolios.com/ David is contactable via the site or at david@dmiller.co.uk
