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Breast Reconstruction Surgery Before and After Photos
Dr. Lettieri has over 20 years experience treating patients in need of breast reconstruction. Some of these patients have had mastectomies due to breast cancer or non maligment disease and desire restoration of the breast form. This process often involves the use of temporary breast tissue expanders which are then replaced by permanent reconstructive breast implants. The most common type of implant Dr. Lettieri utilizes in these cases is the new cohesive silicone gel device. These implants have the great benefit of providing a much more natural shape and feel then other types of implants and have the expectation for being very durable and long lasting. Once the breast form is created Dr. Lettieri would then discuss with his patient the reconstruction of the nipple areola complex which is usually done under local anesthesia. Other types of breast reconstruction methods are sometimes needed depending on the type of surgery originally preformed. Dr. Lettieri discusses these options with each patient and assists them in making the decision about their choice for breast reconstruction.
There are a significant number of women who are being determined to have higher than average risk for breast cancer. Some of these women have a strong family history of breast cancer and others have had positive genetic testing revealing the likelihood of breast cancer in the future. Other women have very severe fibrocystic breast disease with precancerous characteristics making them at much higher risk for breast cancer. For these groups of women an increasingly common option for greatly reducing or eliminating their risk of breast cancer is that of the preventive mastectomy and immediate reconstruction. This procedure can often be done on an out-patient basis and involves the removal of the majority of breast tissue and immediate first stage reconstruction using temporary breast expanders. These expanders are used to provide the place for eventual placement of permanent breast implants. Dr. Lettieri is one of the very few surgeons in the country who is able to offer these women the new “cohesive silicone gel implant”. He is the only surgeon in South Carolina who can utilize both the Inamed style 410 cohesive gel devices as well as the Mentor CPG device. These implants have also provided a very distinct for advantage for post mastectomy reconstruction patients including those having preventive mastectomy. These patients are usually referred by their surgeon who may have preformed initial biopsies or by their gynecologist or family physicians who have provided initial counseling regarding breast cancer risk.
Another group of women suffer from severe painful fibrocystic breast disease and may have failed every other effort to treat or control their symptoms. These women are sometimes eligible for a technique referred to as subcutaneous mastectomies which allows for removal of the majority of the diseased breast tissue and immediate reconstruction in a similar fashion as described in the preceding paragraph. It is also common that these patients are referred by their surgeon or gynecologist after efforts have been made to treat their condition conservatively.
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