Posted by sisterstruggle on October 2, 2009, 2:42 pm
96.245.223.197
I have had one lumpectomy (did not get clean margins), and am being put through chemo first only to return to a mastectomy after for sure. In this case I assume I can't even get a flap procedure, because I believe I read somewhere on here that you would want to wait three to six months from chemo before attempting this sort of surgery. Being that the remaining cancer must come out sooner, I am going with an implant first, with hopes of avoiding losing skin for a flap down the road. What would be my best MO all around to attaining the best flap outcome at that time. I'm small chested. Do I go for expanding more or less now, which is better. I will be trying to save as much skin as possible in the mastectomy process, and hope to hear how's best to maintain the skin in the expander process so to avoid having to add a tissue paddle (think that's what you called it in other thread - if not, sorry, major chemo brain right now). I read where you wrote that the incisions now will make a difference. My sister, in a similar boat, will be doing an areola sparring, not nipple? Is that a big enough help to salvaging more skin for a future flap procedure?
Thank you Dr. D
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