Before and after left mastectomy and implant reconstruction in a 79-year-old woman with invasive breast cancer. She was completing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and consulted with us to learn about her reconstructive options. She had thought about “going flat” but wanted to avoid needing to wear an external prosthesis in her bra.
A left nipple-sparing mastectomy was performed through an incision to the outside of her nipple rather than our standard inframammary fold incision due to the location of the tumor and the need to remove some overlying skin. A smooth round permanent and postoperatively adjustable implant was placed on top of the muscle, in the prepectoral position.
A skin-only mastopexy was performed on the right breast at the same procedure in order to allow her nipples and areolas to sit at the same height. One month after surgery, she started postoperative radiation therapy which lasted for five and a half weeks. Radiation will cause the skin to look slightly tanned and for the breast envelope to shrink subtly.
Follow up photos are shown 1 year after surgery. This patient indeed was of advanced age, but was medically cleared for surgery by her team of Physicians and is incredibly grateful that she was offered breast reconstruction.
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
