Good As New
New Restorative Procedure Preserves Breast’s Appearance
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Women undergoing breast surgery at Inova Alexandria Hospital now have exciting, new options for preserving their breasts’ natural appearance immediately following surgery. By combining breast cancer surgery with advanced reconstructive techniques, patients are able to undergo treatment with little or no aesthetic difference in their breasts.
“While treating the cancer always comes first, our goal is to make each patient feel whole from a cosmetic point of view,” says Costanza Cocilovo, MD, Medical Director, Inova Breast Care Institute.
New Options
The medical team at Inova Alexandria Hospital offers a variety of restorative procedures that can be performed immediately following breast cancer surgery. Women who undergo a lumpectomy, which involves removing a tumor while preserving the breast, may be candidates for oncoplasty, the reshaping of the remaining breast tissue to create a smooth, natural-looking breast. This leading-edge procedure is most effective in women with larger breasts who prefer a reduction and lift.
For women who undergo a mastectomy, which involves removing the entire breast, the surgeon can perform immediate augmentation with an implant or tissue from another area of the body. Patients with smaller breasts are often excellent candidates for an innovative procedure called nipple-sparing mastectomy, which preserves the skin covering the breast.
Multidisciplinary Approach
To tailor treatment to each individual patient, the highly skilled medical team at Inova uses a team approach. Prior to surgery, a patient meets with her radiation oncologist, breast surgeon and plastic surgeon to develop the best treatment plan.
“Using a multidisciplinary approach improves outcomes, but more importantly, it improves patient satisfaction,” says Dr. Cocilovo. “We try very hard to help patients be in a place where they’re as happy with their results as possible.”
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Inova Breast Care Institute is hosting many events throughout October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Among them is the Alexandria City Annual Walk to Fight Breast Cancer on Saturday, Oct. 20, and our annual Free Mammogram Day on Saturday, Oct. 27. |
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Find out more about breast restorative procedures by calling Inova Breast Care Institute at 703-207-4320 or by going here.
