Nipple Sparing BMX

lemon68

Hello

I am wondering can give any advice on sparing your nipples. Did you do it? Did they both live? If not what did you do instead? My BS says there is a 80% chance they will be fine, 20% that 1 or both could die. Was going to go with D's but since doing this she said no bigger than a C which is fine. She said the blood has to be able to reach the nipple to keep it alive.

Please share share share.

Thank you in advance!

BayouBabe

I was able to save one, the other was too close to my cancer and had to be removed.  If I had been able to keep both, I would have been thrilled with the result, other than it is a bit higher than natural.  With only having one, I am disappointed I let my PS talk me into saving it.  It is going to be a pain to make a new reconstructed nipple and tattoo match.  Just my two cents and experience.  

sarahjane7374

my surgery was prophylactic but both nipples made it through.  Both my BS and PS told me blood flow is always a concern in recon as the breast isn't an area that gets a lot anyway. That's partly why healing can be a slow process.  I didn't have a plan B, in case it didn't work out.  Probably would have looked into the 3D tats. 

kap

I had bmx last March. I was able to save both nipples. I had a fabulous surgeon! Good luck!

lemon68

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I appreciate it, I feel good about my choice.

samrodun

I posted the following in the forum "One step with alloderm"....not sure if that would be the proper place, so I'm posting the same here too as follows.....

Hi everyone. I'm quite new to this site forum, but I find it quite "user unfriendly". I feel the most recent posts in a forum should display first. Maybe I'm missing something, but once you're in a titled forum I don't see any way to search the forum....like if you're trying to find a post you once saw but can't remember what page it was on. I had been in a few places re treatment but this is my first time in one about reconstruction.

I'm trying to find one of you girls that may have had a skin-sparing mastectomy with delayed reconstruction....but with no tissue expander put in initially. Wondering if any of you have had the same procedure as me and have been able (or if it's even possible) to have a permanent implant put in instead of an expander....of course not until MX is settled and healed completely.

I don't see a plastic surgeon again till 6/3. I did have another PS consult prior to my surgery and saw 2 different implants and 1 expander gadget but there was no talk about a skin-sparing MX. Back then I didn't know about the complications that can arise from the expanders and didn't know but what I would need radiation. I also am a keloid former and was concerned, and advised by my oncologist, that I should probably wait for pathology results and also how my MX healing goes with scarring...she isn't a proponent of immediate reconstruction and some plastic surgeons in my area are against it also. I'm 4 weeks out of my right MX and was left with a good size seroma on my upper chest area about 3/4" above my incision and just before my armpit which my surgeon says will probably dissipate eventually.

It doesn't appear to me that I have enough skin left to cover an implant. I've also had 3 previous abdominal surgeries and was told they won't take a flap from previous surgical sites. I know they can get skin tissue from other places, but I'm truthfully worried about using skin from anywhere after this seroma problem and also from having a horrible infection from my last 2 surgeries (appendectomy and right hemi-colectomy due to appendiceal cancer).

So...if any of you have had a similar situation and reconstruction, I'd love to hear your opinions and advice. And I hope you're all doing well and are not as confused as I am....:-) Sam

mikishelley

I had a double MX one prophylactic. My incisions were under my breasts on both sides.  I was amazed when I woke from my surgery and had both of my nipples. I had TE placed at the same time. I was told I may still loose one or both of my nipples. Both were black and scabbed very bad, but the PS said I was doing fine. Then I found out I had to begin chemo, so the PS decided to pull the scabs off to see if the nipples were viable or if they would need wound care. Thankfully, both were and remain viable. I have to care for them with antibacterial ointment and surgical dressing twice daily, but so far so good. I am curious if anyone who has went through any of this has been able to wear a bra? I am nervous about even trying to wear one plus I  do not have one that fits. MY TE are significantly larger than my original breasts. It Has been 5 weeks and one day since my surgery. I go to support meetings and yoga and always feel a little exposed going out without a bra on. I appreciate any thoughts and shared experiences.

DiveCat

mikishelley,

It might be hard to find a conventional bra that will fit the TEs, but you might want to look at Genie or Coobie bras. They are soft and very stretchy and will accomodate the weirdness of TEs, while providing some coverage. You can use them with or without the foam inserts. I am still pre-sx, but love these type of bras as sleep bras (I am a 32DD so do not find they give enough support for day-to-day wear, but for leisure/sleep, they are great).

FLgrl32

Lemon 68,

I had a PBMX Nipple Sparing in early march.  I am currently in TEs awaiting my first fill.  I had a Nipple Delay procedure before surgery.  So far, my nipples look great.  One was a little scabbed after surgery, but that went away in a few weeks.  I will keep you posted.

mikishelley

DiveCat thank you for your input. I did try a larger sports bra and that was very uncomfortable. I will look into your suggestions. I am assuming I am around a 34 C or D. I am not really sure right now. Since I still am living with my TE's I don't feel I need support (they sure don't bounce around but just stand there) just want some type of coverage for my nipples. I constantly have people looking directly at my chest. I always liked my nipples before, and I still do. Unfortunately they seem to distract everyone around me. It's not that my TE's are that large its that my nipples are that large.