Understanding your options
This reference explains common terms used in oncoplastic and breast reconstruction conversations. Recon OncoPlasty Directory does not provide medical advice or recommend treatment — clinical appropriateness is determined with a qualified treating professional.
A lumpectomy that also reshapes the breast at the same time. The surgeon removes the cancerous tissue and then rearranges nearby breast tissue so the shape looks as natural as possible afterward. It is often considered when the tumor can be removed while preserving the breast.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureCombines cancer removal with breast reduction techniques in one surgery, reshaping the breast to preserve a natural, symmetrical look while treating the tumor.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureA way to check the first lymph nodes where breast cancer is most likely to travel. If those nodes are clear, additional lymph-node surgery may be avoided. If cancer is found, more nodes may need treatment.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureFocused procedures on the lymph nodes under the arm, designed to get the information doctors need while limiting side effects such as swelling or arm stiffness. Sentinel-node biopsy is one example.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureThe breast tissue is removed while the nipple and areola are kept. This is only possible in some situations, and it is usually paired with reconstruction. Your surgeon can explain whether the skin and nipple can safely be preserved for you.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureThe breast tissue and nipple are removed, but most of the breast skin is preserved. Keeping the skin can help reconstruction look and feel more natural, whether an implant or your own tissue is used.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureAfter mastectomy, the surgeon reshapes the skin and tissue that would otherwise be discarded into a small breast mound, instead of using an implant or a tissue flap from elsewhere on the body. It's an option for patients who aren't good candidates for, or don't want, those approaches.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureReconstruction that begins during the same operation as the mastectomy. This can mean fewer total surgeries for some patients, though it is not the right choice for everyone and depends on the treatment plan.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureBreast tissue is removed and rebuilt using a saline or silicone implant, either placed during the same surgery as the mastectomy or in a later stage.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureUses skin and fat from the lower abdomen, along with its blood vessels, to rebuild the breast — without taking any abdominal muscle. A common choice for natural, long-lasting reconstruction.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureUses tissue from the lower abdomen, including some abdominal muscle, to rebuild the breast. An older technique that has largely been replaced by muscle-sparing options like the DIEP flap where available.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureUses skin and fat from the inner thigh to rebuild the breast — an option for patients who don't have enough donor tissue in the abdomen.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureUses skin and fat from the upper or lower buttock to rebuild the breast — an alternative donor site for patients who aren't candidates for an abdominal flap.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureUses muscle, skin and fat from the upper back, tunneled around to the chest, to rebuild the breast — often combined with an implant for additional volume.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureUses tissue from the upper abdomen, moved up to the chest while staying connected to its blood supply, to add volume to a reconstructed breast — a smaller-scale alternative to a full abdominal flap procedure.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureRemoves excess breast tissue, fat and skin to create a smaller, lighter breast — often done to relieve back, neck or shoulder strain caused by breast size.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureSurgery to refine or correct a previous breast reconstruction, addressing concerns like shape, symmetry, implant issues or scar tissue.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureSurgery to adjust, correct or improve the result of a previous cosmetic breast procedure — such as implant position, scarring or asymmetry.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureRemoval of breast implants, with or without additional reshaping of the remaining breast tissue.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureFat is removed from one area of the body by liposuction and injected into the breast to refine shape, smooth contour irregularities or add subtle volume.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureSurgery to recreate the nipple and areola after mastectomy, usually done as a later step once the reconstructed breast has healed and settled.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureNerve-related approaches used during some reconstructions to try to restore feeling in the chest or reconstructed breast. Results vary from person to person, so this is something to ask about rather than expect.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureA careful, planned closure after mastectomy that leaves a smooth, flat chest contour without reconstruction. It is a deliberate choice, not just 'no reconstruction,' and some people strongly prefer it.
Find Surgeons Who Perform This ProcedureFor a concise procedure category directory, see Procedures.
This information is educational only. It is not a diagnosis or treatment recommendation. Please review our Medical Disclaimer for more.
