For mastectomy patients who choose to undergo breast reconstructionโ€”approximately 40% of the populationโ€”selecting a plastic surgeon and reconstruction type can be stressful. A new HealthCentral article aims to take the guesswork out of the process.

Most patients choose between an implant-based reconstruction or flap reconstruction. An implant-based procedure uses breast implants to reconstruct the breast while flap reconstruction uses a patientโ€™s own tissue from another part of the body, most commonly your stomach.

โ€œIf you decide to use your tissue, you probably donโ€™t need to see a plastic surgeon again unless you want a revision,โ€ says Justin M. Broyles, MD, a plastic surgeon at Brigham and Womenโ€™s Health located in Boston, MA. Because your own tissue is being used, additional maintenance after surgery is not typically needed. โ€œThat is just not the case with implants,” says Broyles. “Implants will require continuous monitoring throughout the patientโ€™s life to assess for rupture or a replacement of the device. According to the FDA, implants need to be replaced every ten years.โ€

Read the full article on HealthCentral.