Immediate reconstruction combines two major surgeries i.e. the mastectomy and reconstruction into one, reducing your overall time spent under general anaesthetic. This, in turn, means a shorter recovery period and lower hospital and medical costs. In addition, you avoid the anxiety of another operation and time away from your family and work commitments.

The reconstruction process is also easier as the skin that covers your breast (the skin envelope) and the infra-mammary fold (the lower border of your breast) is preserved and your plastic surgeon can easily mould the new breast into this skin envelope. That way, you maintain the same confidence you had prior to your mastectomy.

Additional post-surgery therapy e.g. radiotherapy can cause scarring in the skin of the chest wall, which can affect the shape and size of a reconstructed breast. Delaying the reconstruction allows these effects to settle in the skin.

One of the considerations for patients undergoing breast reconstruction during mastectomy is the fear that such an extensive surgery may lead to a delay in the start of chemotherapy. This can result in a less than optimal long-term outcome including a reoccurrence of the cancer.

However, studies have shown that as long as treatment is conducted no later than three months following the removal of the tumour, there is no impact on the cure rate. In other words, undergoing breast reconstructive surgery at the time of mastectomy is unlikely to impact adversely on the cure rate of chemotherapy as the delay, if any, is usually minimal.

You may prefer to go through (or are advised to go through) your full cancer treatment and mastectomy first to allow yourself time to heal and to adjust to the emotional and physical changes before making another big decision. Breast reconstruction can be done after completion of additional post-surgery therapy i.e. chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

This is because additional post-surgery therapy e.g. radiotherapy can cause scarring in the skin of the chest wall, which can affect the shape and size of a reconstructed breast. Delaying the reconstruction after radiotherapy allows these effects to settle in the skin to produce a more optimal breast shape and size.

Undergoing two separate operations means a longer operating and recovery time and increased medical costs. There is also the increased risk of general anaesthetic complications as well as increased time away from work and family.

Some women might also experience a lack of confidence or femininity after their mastectomy. In addition, breast prosthetics can be quite uncomfortable.