title: Advising the mastectomy patient about reconstruction.
abstract: Breast reconstruction deserves critical consideration and discussion in each patient's case. The psychologic benefits from the procedure are enormous. Reconstructive goals are: skin coverage, contour restoration and formation of the nipple-areola. The prospect of reconstruction must have no effect on the procedure for extirpation of the cancer. Breast reconstruction is now possible even after the removal of large amounts of skin and muscle.
mesh_terms: D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013518:Surgery, Plastic