As Posted on KSDK.com and stlmomsworld.com – Many women are good candidates for immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy, even if radiation is part of their treatment for breast cancer.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Judith Gurley performed immediate breast reconstruction on patient Dana Klassen after her mastectomy.
“If someone had told me that I’d feel this great at this stage of the game, I wouldn’t have believed them a year and a half ago,” said Dana.
Dr. Gurley believes if the patient is a good candidate for immediate reconstruction, there are many benefits. “In my opinion”, says Dr. Gurley, “the benefits of using implants means another part of your body is not being operated on. The recovery is much quicker (four to six weeks versus two to six months). The pain is less with an implant reconstruction. There is less anesthesia, less surgical time, and less time in the hospital to recover.”
For a look at before and after photos, see the links below. If you click on this story, please keep in mind you will see some post-surgery photos that might be inappropriate for children.