We report on 170 breasts that were reconstructed with Skin-Expander and silicone implants over a period of 15 years [1,2].
Reconstruction occurred primarily in only about one-third of the cases, since the information provided by the first doctor
in charge regarding the possibilities of breast reconstruction was rather scanty. In cases treated with radiotherapy, reconstruction
with Skin-Expander should not be excluded, but it is necessary to proceed with extreme caution and to give patients exact
information. The complication rate is higher here than in cases which have not been exposed to radiotherapy. The final result
depends directly on the primary surgery and the skin as well as the contralateral breast quality [3]. In most cases reconstruction
with Skin-Expander and silicone implants meets the patients' desires: low-risk operation, fewer additional scars, and similar
and improved breasts on both sides.
Key words: Breast reconstruction—Skin-Expander—Silicone prostheses