Lumpectomy Reconstruction

For patients choosing breast conservation, reconstruction may be performed soon after the lumpectomy if the surgical margins are clear of tumor and the excision is large enough to cause a significant defect after radiation changes are complete. Alternatively, these patients may seek reconstruction after they complete their treatment regimens. It is important to remember that radiation changes can and often occur over the course of three years. So, a lumpectomy defect that is small and initially acceptable is likely to change over time and may create an undesirable deformity. The options for correcting a lumpectomy include utilizing flaps, which are made of local skin and fat, or by using tissue from the abdomen.