Immediate Breast Reconstruction with Implants

*Evania Lok and Sally Ng*

## **Abstract**

Immediate breast reconstruction following mastectomy improves quality of life with benefits observed in body image and psychological health. An implant based reconstruction is one of the most common options utilised and a successful outcome relies on careful patient selection and technical decisions made intraoperatively. Significant technological adjuncts has advanced the role of direct to implant reconstruction by reducing rates of complications and implant failure. Understanding past techniques and variables in current practices facilitates operative management to provide an optimal implant based reconstructive outcome.

**Keywords:** breast reconstruction, breast implant, direct to implant, immediate breast reconstruction, mastectomy

## **1. Introduction**

Historically, reconstructions post mastectomy was not widely adopted and the predominant options for women were mostly limited to simple acceptance of breast loss or use of an external prosthesis. The introduction of silicone breast implants in the 1960s heralded the modern breast reconstruction era. Implant based reconstruction is now one of the most utilised breast reconstructive techniques and has evolved from a two staged operation to a single stage procedure.
