"How Nipples Are Reconstructed After A Mastectomy" - Katherine Hobson
If you do choose to have your breasts reconstructed after a mastectomy, they’re likely to be completely smooth and round. Yet for many women, a nipple is what makes the breast a breast, so the right cosmetic touch can provide a psychological boost and a connection to their precancer self. While it’s not possible to restore nipple sensation or function once nerves are severed, there are now boldly artful ways to re-create (or save) one of nature’s most exquisite anatomical flourishes. Instead of removing the entire breast, surgeons take out all the breast tissue through a small incision. However, not everyone is eligible: Women who have tumors close to the nipple or extensive cancer in the milk ducts might be in danger of a recurrence if the nipple is preserved, said Elisa Port, MD, FACS, associate professor of surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, chief of breast surgery, and co-director of the Dubin Breast Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital.
- Elisa Port, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Chief, Breast Surgery, Co-Director, Dubin Breast Center, The Mount Sinai Hospital
