Immediate reconstruction of the breast with an saline or silicone implant following mastectomy (performed in a single surgery).

Delayed reconstruction of the breast utilizing a tissue expander placed under or over the chest muscle to stretch the tissue prior to placement of breast implants (performed in 2 or more surgeries).

A tissue expander is an empty, expandable implant with a port, which allows a surgeon to add increasing amounts of liquid over time (generally 2 to 6 months) until the skin is stretched enough to accommodate the preferred size of breast implant.

A TRAM (transverse rectus abdominis muscle) flap procedure is when a flap of skin, fat, and all or part of the underlying rectus abdominus (“6-pack”) muscle are used to reconstruct the breast.

A DIEP flap (deep inferior epigastric perforators) procedure is when blood vessels, as well as the skin and fat connected to them, are removed from the lower abdomen and transferred to the chest to reconstruct a breast after mastectomy without removing any of the abdominal muscles.

A SIEA/SIEP (superficial inferior epigastric artery/perforator) flap procedure is when the SIEA blood vessel that runs under your skin in your lower abdomen, as well as the skin and fat connected to the them, are removed from the lower abdomen and transferred to the chest to reconstruct a breast after mastectomy.

A Latissimus Dorsi flap procedure is when an oval flap of skin, fat, muscle, and blood vessels from the upper back is moved under the skin around to the chest to rebuild the breast.

A TUG (transverse upper gracilis) flap procedure is when a flap of skin, fat, muscle, and blood vessels from the upper thigh is used to reconstruct the breast.

A GAP (gluteal artery perforator) flap procedure takes a section of skin and fat from the upper buttocks/hip (or bottom of the buttocks), as well as a blood vessel that runs through the buttocks, are used to reconstruct the breast. If a patient doesn't have enough extra tissue, a "stacked/ hybrid" technique may be available, using skin from both buttocks and "stacking" them on top of the other to recreate a single breast.

A form of implant reconstruction utilizing a breast implant placed over the chest muscle. UTM can provide more support and a natural looking result, but requires longer healing time than OTM.

A form of implant reconstruction utilizing a breast implant placed under the chest muscle. OTM has less healing time than UTM but requires more implant support with a tissue matrix.

Fat tissue is removed from other parts of the body by liposuction, processed into liquid and injected into the breast area to recreate the breast or to fix differences in the shape, balance, or position of the reconstructed breast. IR/AR/FC

A form of implant reconstruction utilizing a breast implant placed over the chest muscle. UTM can provide more support and a natural looking result, but requires longer healing time than OTM.

Natrelle | Mentor | Sientra | Ideal (IR)

Breast implants filled with saline solution.

Breast implants filled with silicone gel.

Breast Implants which have a silicone shell and a silicone gel filling.

Breast implants with a smooth outer surface.

Breast implants with a round shape.

Breast implants with a "natural" teardrop shape.

An acellular dermal matrix used to assist with tissue expander or implant-based breast reconstruction. IR

Breast implants with a textured outer surface.

Breast implants with a textured outer surface.
Recently, textured implants have been recalled or restricted over safety concerns in several countries because of concerns about a rare cancer, breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).