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Treatment Options for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ
Breast Reconstruction for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ
Breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure to rebuild the breast and, if desired, the nipple and areola for women who have undergone a mastectomy. If mastectomy is the treatment of choice for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a skin-sparing approach, removing only the skin of the nipple-areola and the biopsy scar, facilitates breast reconstruction.
In general, there are two primary methods of breast reconstruction:
Implant (tissue or skin expander) - During this procedure, a balloon expander is inserted under the skin and chest muscles and is periodically injected with a salt-water solution to fill the expander. The balloon expander is then removed and a permanent implant (saline or silicone) is implanted into the breast.
Muscle Flap - During this procedure, a flap of muscle is transferred from another area of the body to the breast. A common type of muscle flap used for breast reconstruction is the TRAM flap which uses a flap of the lower abdominal wall fat to reconstruct the breast defect.
