BREAST RECONSTRUCTION PATIENT CASE STUDY
AS I STEP INTO THE EXAMINATION ROOM TO GREET HR, SHE IS WEARING A BRIGHT PINK DRESS WITH A LOW CUT FRONT, SHOWING A HINT OF CLEAVAGE THAT SHE CONFIDENTLY BEARS.
HR returns to my clinic today for her final postoperative visit after breast reconstruction. Her eyes are bright, and she has a big smile across her face with pink lipstick to match her dress.
She confidently greets me with a cheerful hug. This is a different woman than the one I came across six months ago. When HR came to me for a breast reconstruction consultation, she was a woman in her late 40s with a stage II B right breast cancer diagnosis.
A LONG BUT FULFILLING TRANSFORMATION
A year ago, HR had just undergone a right breast mastectomy followed by six months of chemotherapy and radiation. She bore a large chest scar due to the mastectomy and radiation skin changes. Her hair finally grew in after months of chemotherapy. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and fatigue but reflected a strong will to live.
She was very timid to show me her bare chest as she removed her examination robe. I could sense her embarrassment at her appearance.
With care, I slowly examined her right chest and the left breast. I informed HR that she healed well from the radiation and is a great candidate for breast reconstruction using her abdominal fat tissue.
HR’s eyes perked up as I explained what the reconstruction entails. I told her, “It is similar to having a tummy tuck with the excess tissue used to make a breast.”
She cheerfully asked, “I can get rid of my bulge and have a breast using that tissue?”
By the end of our consultation, I could sense a ray of hope from HR.
HR decided to have her left breast prophylactically removed and have both breasts reconstructed at the same time due to her strong family history of breast cancer and her own battle with breast cancer. She did not want the potential burden of new cancer developing in her left breast.
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
With a new paradigm of post-mastectomy radiation therapy, chemotherapy with receptor antagonists, and surgery, the five-year survival rate has significantly improved to greater than 89%. However, breast cancer continues to be the second deadliest malignancy among women..
While we have made advances with breast cancer treatment, breast reconstruction continues to be neglected in many areas, being considered an optional cosmetic procedure. This leaves a large population of women who battled breast cancer with a persistent reminder of their disease.
Many studies have shown that breast reconstruction makes a significant improvement in the quality of life for breast cancer survivors. Breast reconstruction improves a woman’s psychological wellbeing, self-image, sexuality, and overall functionality and helps women gain the strength needed to overcome this disease.
These benefits are universal across women with different ethnic backgrounds and age groups.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Raising awareness about breast reconstruction enables more women to think of breast reconstruction as a critical part of breast cancer treatment and not a cosmetic procedure. This will allow more breast cancer survivors to thrive and live with cancer as a distant memory, not a constant reminder.
As we wrapped up HR’s last postoperative visit with me, she reached out and gave me a big warm hug and said, “Thank you for giving me back my breasts and making me whole again.”
BREAST RECONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST AND RECONSTRUCTION REVISION SPECIALIST IN BEVERLY HILLS
Dr. Mytien Goldberg is a leading female plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills who specializes in breast reconstruction and breast reconstruction revision. Recognized for her attention to detail, high-caliber surgical skills, and beautiful, natural results, Dr. Goldberg is dedicated to assisting women seeking breast reconstruction or breast reconstruction revision. If you have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and are looking for a plastic surgeon to perform your breast reconstruction, Dr. Goldberg is your plastic surgeon. And, if you have had breast cancer and are dissatisfied with your reconstruction results, the first step is to schedule a comprehensive in-office consultation with Dr. Goldberg.
After the exam, Dr. Goldberg can create an individualized plan to address your specific concerns and answer any questions you may have.
For many women in Southern California and around the country, Dr. Mytien Goldberg is the plastic surgeon of choice for breast reconstruction, revision, and correction procedures.
REQUEST A CONSULTATION WITH DR. MYTIEN GOLDBERG
Call Dr. Mytien Goldberg, Beverly Hills Breast Reconstruction Specialist, for your consultation and take your life back from breast cancer.