The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is the most experienced breast reconstruction team in the St. Louis region, performing the largest volume, and most comprehensive variety of breast reconstruction for cancer and congenital breast deformities.
In addition to performing all of the breast cancer reconstruction for the Siteman Cancer center, we perform breast reconstructions for patients who have had mastectomies elsewhere both in St. Louis and in other cities and states. Our experience and expertise enables us to confidently offer the most appropriate breast reconstruction for the unique challenges of every individual patient.
We offer the latest innovation in both reconstruction with implants as well as your own tissues. Moreover, we offer reconstruction not only for mastectomies (removal of the entire breast) but also reconstructions of a portion of the breast following lumpectomy (breast conservation therapy when only a part of the breast is removed).
For implant based reconstruction, in the appropriate circumstances, this can include a single staged breast reconstruction with an implant, a nipple-areola sparing mastectomy and reconstruction where the nipple is not removed, and the use of an acellular dermal matrix to help refine the results of an implant-based breast reconstruction.
For breast reconstruction with your own tissues, innovations that we offer include microvascular surgery that largely or completely preserves muscle tissue such as the muscle-sparing free TRAM flap, the DIEP flap, the SIEA flap all using abdominal skin and fat, or the TUG flap which uses inner thigh tissue to rebuild the breast. We also offer innovative oncoplastic surgery to treat partial breast defects as well as fat grafting to improve the results of all forms of breast reconstruction.
If you have had a previous mastectomy or lumpectomy, have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and wish to learn about your reconstructive options, or have a strong family history of breast cancer and have been recommended a mastectomy we welcome you to search through the following links to learn more and make an appointment with one of our plastic surgeons to find out about your options. In some cases, women have had injuries to their breasts or were born without a breast or an asymmetrically small breast. These reconstructive options may also apply to these individuals.
BREAST RECONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES
For more information, or to see photos, get a detailed description about each procedure, download patient instruction forms, and read testimonials, visit us online at westcountyplasticsurgeons.wustl.edu.