Nipple sparing mastectomy, sensation, breast reconstruction

Nipple sparing mastectomy, sensation, breast reconstruction

 

So far I had being rolling around thousands of racing 

 thoughts in my mind – and specially the old time favorite that we all struggle with and that is the “what if?” question.

What if I just removed the once breast will they be able to reconstruct them to look similar?

What if I do that will the changing cell in the other breast show up as cancer soon?

Will I then just have to remove the other breast?

If I have a mastectomy will I still feel like women?

If I dress will I still feel like myself?

If I am intimate how can I be without sensation in my breast?

If I keep my nipples will I get cancer in that tissue easily?

If they do nipple preserving surgery will I keep the sensation in my breast?

Yesterday at church I talked to a Christian oncologist and in general he said that Nipple Sensation after Mastectomy

“The standard answer would be that sensation of an intimate nature does not return after a mastectomy. During a mastectomy the entire breast is removing and that includes the nerve to the nipple. This would be true with a nipple-sparing mastectomy as well. There could however be return of general skin sensation to the area but it is very unpredictable. The important issue is choosing the operation that gives you the best long term survival. The nipple will not regain sensation overall because of the mastectomy.  The most sensitive part of the breast is the upper breast skin above the areola.  I would evaluate the sensation on a 4 month basis.  Sensation in the skin can improve over time.  I use a time frame of a year before I feel the result is complete from a nerve and sensation standpoint.  What the Christian friend did state though of all the doctors involved in this process the most important doctor will be your plastic surgeon because you will live daily with the work he has done

 

I was not thinking of survival I wanted to know how it will affect my sexual life after the fact.  But I think this is a more complete answer. No one really knows if the sensation will return and any breast tissue left put you at risk for cancer returning.

There are great explanations on the breast cancer site in regard to “Mastectomy is the removal of the whole breast. There are five different types of mastectomy: "simple" or "total" mastectomy modified radical mastectomy, radical mastectomy, partial mastectomy, and subcutaneous (nipple-sparing) mastectomy.”

Subcutaneous mastectomy is performed less often than simple or total mastectomy because more breast tissue is left behind afterwards that could later develop cancer. Some physicians have also reported that breast reconstruction after subcutaneous mastectomy can result in distortion and possibly numbness of the nipple. 

Tomorrow I meet with the Surgeon to discuss the chopping off or removal of my breast Left (Ella) and my right breast (Emma).  I named them now since a friend suggested that it is easier to talk about your body in this way.   I still have that burning sensation or pain in the cancerous   Emma.  It mellows out at times, but I have to actually use pains stiller sometimes … I know it makes no sense since breast cancer should not hurt.