Breast reconstruction is done in patients who have loosed one or both the breast due to cancer operation. There are several procedures for breast reconstruction depending upon how much breast has been removed and how much skin is available. Beast reconstruction can be done at the same time when the cancer surgeon removes the breast if a proper co-ordination is possible between cancer and plastic surgeon. The avail be techniques are
1. In patients where prophylactic subcutaneous mastectomy is done [removal of breast tissue without removal of skin]. Breast implants can be put at the same time. It saves time and cost.
2. In patients where total breast has been removed. There are 3 options

[a.] after few months of initial operation a tissue expender is inserted under the skin to enlarge it and when the inflation is sufficient enough and matches the opposite side, expender is removed and breast implant of the same volume is inserted.

[b] Where the opposite breast is small, latisimus dorsi muscle, fat and skin [soft tissue from the side and back on the same side] is used to make the breast.

[c] when the opposite side breast is large we need more tissue to make breast of nearly same size, in that case fat and skin of the lower part of abdomen[TRAM FLAP] is used to make breast.
This reconstructed breast does not have nipple and areola; it is reconstructed separately in a separate stage