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How do surgeons use implants to reconstruct a woman's breast?
Source: Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: December 2, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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Context: Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy
How do surgeons use implants to reconstruct a woman's breast?
Implants are inserted underneath the skin or chest muscle following the mastectomy. Implants are usually placed as part of a two-stage procedure.
In the first stage, the surgeon places a device called a tissue expander under the skin that is left after the mastectomy or under the chest muscle (1, 2). The expander is slowly filled with saline or air during periodic visits to the doctor after surgery.
In the second stage, after the chest tissue has relaxed and healed enough, the expander is removed and replaced with an implant. The chest tissue is usually ready for the implant 2 to 6 months after the tissue expander is placed.
In some cases, the implant can be placed in the breast during the same surgery as the mastectomy—that is, a tissue expander is not used (3).
Source links and citations
Surgeons are increasingly using material called acellular dermal matrix as a kind of scaffold or “sling” to support tissue expanders and implants. Acellular dermal matrix is a kind of mesh that is made from donated human or pig skin that has been sterilized and processed to remove all cells to eliminate the risks of rejection and infection.
Publication references
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- PubMed 21460648 · Not captured locally · Original source
Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice