Immediate Reconstruction
Immediate breast reconstruction occurs during the same surgery as a mastectomy. Natural tissue or implant-based reconstruction can both be performed as immediate reconstruction procedures. This is particularly valuable if a nipple or skin-sparing mastectomy is an option.
Delayed Reconstruction
Delayed reconstruction occurs weeks, months, years, or even decades after a mastectomy. While preserving the breast skin and nipple is not an option, there are many procedures that are possible with delayed reconstruction.
Delayed-Immediate Reconstruction
Delayed-immediate reconstruction is performed when natural tissue reconstruction is desired, but it is unclear if radiation will be necessary or if a patient is at high risk for complications (e.g. from smoking), which might delay additional cancer treatment after surgery. In these settings, a tissue expander is placed immediately at the time as the mastectomy and tissue reconstruction is delayed until after radiation or the patient has time to correct their medical issue.
