For breast reconstruction, two techniques are commonly used. The first one involves using the patient's own tissue, from the abdominal area, which is the most common, or the back or buttocks. Tissue from pigs or cadavers is a newer option and won't lead to any pain in another part of the body, as the tissue isn't harvested from the patient. Also, patients may opt for a prosthetic implant, either done in permanent or temporary fashion. A temporary prosthetic implant will require staged visits and saline injections into the expandable implant.

The typical recovery time for a breast reconstruction is six weeks, but that depends on the patient's condition and the surgery techniques used. Reconstructions using harvested tissues take longer to recover from than prosthetic implants. If a patient opts for a prosthetic implant, she can recover and be back to work before a month is up, though additional doctor visits may be required if the prosthesis needs to be expanded.

If you're considering breast reconstruction surgery, make sure you have everyone on your medical team, not just your plastic surgeon, involved. This way, you can understand the implications of the surgery on your breast cancer treatments and get input from all sources. Know all of the risks that could occur with the type of surgery you choose, and find out as much information as you can about the different options you have in breast reconstruction. Talk to others who've undergone reconstructive surgery to find out their experiences.

Over the past few years, advances in the techniques used for breast reconstruction surgery have come far and helped make the experience better for women who opt for the surgery.