Immediate Breast Reconstruction

Dr. Reid is now able to provide easier access to immediate breast reconstruction for patients in the Vancouver area. In case you’re not familiar with the term, ‘immediate reconstruction’ refers to the timing of the reconstructive procedure in relation to the mastectomy. Immediate reconstruction takes place at the time of the mastectomy, while ‘delayed reconstruction’ is performed months or years later.

Breast reconstruction is an important part of Dr. Reid’s hospital practice in Richmond.  Although not every breast cancer patient is a candidate for immediate reconstruction, for those who are there are significant benefits. One of the most obvious benefits of immediate reconstruction is that there are fewer operations and with that fewer general anaesthetics and recovery periods. The other primary benefit of immediate reconstruction is that patients who receive this type of care don’t have to live without a breast.

At the Richmond Hospital, we are now able to provide easier access to immediate reconstruction for our breast cancer patients.  This requires a coordinated effort between Dr. Reid and the general surgeons who are performing the mastectomies. The indications for a mastectomy may differ. Some patients with a new diagnosis of breast cancer are candidates for immediate reconstruction. In that circumstance the mastectomy and immediate reconstruction will be arranged on an urgent basis. Other patients may choose to have a prophylactic mastectomy, in which case, immediate reconstruction is almost always indicated.