Nipple Reconstruction
This involves the creation of a nipple areolar mound and pigment to replace that removed by mastectomy.
The Procedure
This involves the creation of a nipple areolar mound and pigment to replace that removed by mastectomy.
Patients having a mastectomy will have the nipple removed at the time of their mastectomy. A nipple can be reconstructed after breast reconstruction. This is usually performed 3 to 6 months after the breast reconstruction.
The procedure can be performed as a day case and under local anaesthetic. It may be performed at the same time as a balancing operation is performed on the opposite breast (if required).
The operation involves raising local tissues as a flap to create a nipple mound. A dressing is applied for 1 week and at the end of that time the stitches are removed. The areolar (pigment around the nipple) is then tattooed on at a later stage.
Complications and Risks
All Procedures have potential complications and risks. These can be divided into general complications and those specific to each procedure. The latter are listed in the FAQs below.
General complications include:
- Wound complications - bleeding, bruising, collections under the skin of blood (haematoma), pus (abscess), serous fluid (seroma), infection, wound breakdown, suture extrusion, sensory loss;
- Aesthetic complications - poor scars, stretched scars, raised scars (keloid or hypertrophic), contour irregularities, need for revisional procedure;
- Anaesthetic complications
