FAQ - Breast Reconstruction

Houston, Baytown, Galveston, and Sugar Land, Texas

Will my health insurance cover the cost of breast reconstruction?
As a result of federal legislation passed in 1998, insurance companies are required to cover breast reconstruction as a result of mastectomy, and any accompanying procedure needed to achieve symmetry on the opposite breast. Check with your insurance provider for specific details.

Should I have immediate or delayed breast reconstruction surgery?
Many women who have a mastectomy are candidates for an immediate breast reconstruction, which may offer several advantages over delayed reconstruction. Mastectomy patients should consult their oncologist and surgeon for a recommendation.

Does immediate breast reconstruction delay additional treatment for breast cancer?
No. If treatment becomes necessary following surgery, chemotherapy usually may be started within a month. Talk to your oncologist for recommendations on timing.

What surgical options are available for breast reconstruction?
More women are opting for the reconstruction technique which uses a patient's own tissue to reconstruct the removed breast. With flap techniques, tissue is taken from either the back or the abdomen and used to recreate the shape of a natural breast. Dr. Riley can also use tissue expanders to stretch the skin and insert an implant.

Why should I consider breast reconstruction surgery?
Nearly 80,000 women chose to have breast reconstruction surgery in 2004, for a variety of reasons, but mainly to regain a sense of wholeness and positive self-image. Women who have reconstruction report positive psychological and social benefits.

Will my reconstructed breast match my natural breast?
Dr. Riley will design your reconstruction to appear as natural as possible with the technology available. After your reconstruction procedure, further refinement can be made about three months post-surgery, such as revision of a flap, addition of a permanent implant, or adjustment of the opposite breast to match the reconstructed breast, such as augmentation, reduction, or mastopexy. Reconstruction of the nipple is usually performed as one or more office procedures a few months after the breast reconstruction has been completed.

For answers to all your questions about our breast reconstruction procedure, schedule your complimentary consultation with Signature Plastic Surgery today.

• Home
• About Us
• Affordability
• Site Map
• Contact Us