Breast Reconstruction

Breast Reconstruction Overview

The Plastic Surgery team at Northwestern Medicine offers a full range of breast reconstruction options. Our goal is to help you feel more comfortable and confident.

We offer the following options:

Aesthetic flat chest closure

If you have extra breast skin left after a mastectomy and do not want any reconstruction, we can help the skin lie flat on your chest. We can help you get a breast prosthesis to wear if you choose.

Implant-based reconstruction

We can use breast implants to reconstruct your breast mound. Usually, this starts with a temporary expandable implant called a tissue expander. We use the expander to maintain the shape of your breast envelope while you heal from the mastectomy and receive any radiation.

The mastectomy and initial reconstruction typically requires a one-night hospital stay. After the surgery, you will come back to our office, often this is a weekly visit. We will gradually add saline to the expander until your breast mound is the size you want. Then, we can replace the expander with a permanent implant through outpatient surgery.

Autologous (“own tissue”) reconstruction

We can reconstruct your breast by transferring abdomen skin, fat and sometimes a small amount of muscle. You must have enough donor tissue for this option.

With this option, you will have a scar is from hip to hip across your abdomen. Your abdomen will also look and feel tighter after surgery. This type of reconstruction usually requires a three-day initial hospital stay.

Your recovery is less straightforward than with implant-based reconstruction because of the additional surgery on your abdomen. Since your own tissue is used, the reconstructed breast mound will look and feel more natural than an implant. The breast will also change naturally as you age.

Latissimus flap reconstruction

The latissimus muscle is a muscle in your back that can be rotated, along with some surrounding skin and fat, to your breast. Usually, people need an implant placed below this muscle to reach adequate breast size.

This is often a good option for patients who do not want tissue transferred from their abdomen but who have tight skin on their chest that prevents implant-based reconstruction or flat chest closure.

The initial hospital stay is usually one to two days. Later, you will have an outpatient surgery to place a permanent implant.

Call to schedule a visit with us to learn about your options and how we can help. Services may vary by location.