Product Description

The best-selling guide to mastectomy and reconstruction has been rewritten and updated. This new 2nd edition of The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook retains all the comprehensive information, descriptions ad explanation of the original issue, along with new information about the lattest implant and flap reconstruction procedures, how to find a surgeon who specializes in these newer techniques and much more. No woman wants to lose her breasts. But having a mastectomy doesn't have to mean living without them. How do you find answers about mastectomy and reconstruction when you're still overwhelmed by your diagnosis and treatment? How real will your new breasts look and feel? What if you don't want implants? How painful is the process? Will your insurance cover all the costs? What is recovery like? The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook has the answers. Easy-to-read text explains mastectomy and demystifies reconstructive options. You'll understand the benefits and risks of different procedures, so you can determine which technique, if any, is right for you. You won't be alone; each chapter includes insights from women who have been through it all.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #129087 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-30
• Released on: 2005-09-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780966979978
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"A comprehensive guide... well researched. A beacon in a sea of ever-expanding medical literature." -- Frank DellaCroce, MD, FACS, co-founder and Director, Center for Restorative Breast Surgery

"A comprehensive guide...well-researched. A beacon in a sea of ever-expanding medical literature." -- Frank DellaCroce, MD, FACS, co-founder and Director, Center for Restorative Breast Surgery

"A comprehensive guide...well-researched. A beacon in a sea of ever-expanding medical literature." --Frank DellaCroce, MD, FACS, co-founder and Director, Center for Restorative Breast Surgery

From the Publisher
Mastectomy is a shocking pronouncement. Your oncologist or surgeon may recommend it to eliminate your breast cancer - who knew that "catching it early" might also mean losing a breast? Perhaps you've decided it's the best way to reduce your risk of developing the disease. Maybe you're trying to decide between lumpectomy and radiation or mastectomy.

Whatever your circumstances, you have alternatives after losing your breast. There are many ways to reconstruct a breast; you can choose which option is right for you. These choices, however, require decisions. Decisions require information.

You won't find answers in this book, but you will find the information you need to make your own decisions. You may decide reconstruction is right for you. You may not. Either way you’ll understand the benefits and limitations of each reconstructive technique, and what to expect each step of the way: before your surgery, in the hospital, during recovery, and life beyond reconstruction.

From the Author
Many cancer patients say their disease was a learning opportunity. That's certainly been my experience. I've heard those four horrible word—"you have breast cancer"—three times, had four biopsies, two lumpectomies, eight weeks of radiation, a sentinel node biopsy, genetic counseling and testing, bilateral mastectomies and reconstruction. While I would never have chosen these particular opportunities for learning, each one, it its own way, gave me more insight into the disease, into myself, and compassion for other women who lose their breasts.

When I went looking for reconstructive options, I hoped to find a book like this. I found plenty of books on breast cancer. Some provided a chapter or two on reconstruction, but none had the comprehensive, objective information I needed. I wanted a single source that didn't favor one technique over the other; something that translated technical terms and procedures into understandable concepts, and explained practical aspects of recovery and life after breast surgery. That single source didn't exist. And that's why I've written this book, to share what I've learned with you and other women who wonder what reconstruction is really like.

To my own mountain of research, I added information from clinical studies and medical journals, and perspectives from oncologists, surgeons, nurses, and other medical professionals. More than 400 women took the time to share their own experiences and offer information they wished they had before reconstruction; many of their comments are included.

Customer Reviews

A Must Read for Any Breast Cancer Patient
I had spent countless hours researching the different reconstruction options when I was fortunate enough to read about this book on the Young Survival Coalition's message board. I immediately ordered it and was amazed at the clear descriptions of the procedures. I also loved the section that guided you on how to prepare for the surgery. I can't say enough about this book!
Jennifer Tom
Founder of Positively Pink Packages

Valuable Pre- and Post-Surgery Guidebook
What a valuable resource. Kathy Steligo puts all the facts in layperson's terms without talking down to the reader. In fact, her friendly tone made me think she was talking just to me. The book answered so many of my questions in a very reassuring way. Obviously, it can't replace a consultation with a plastic surgeon, but it really augments what I learned from my doctor. I plan to share this book with my plastic surgeon.

A must for anyone considering Breast Reconstruction
This book is recommended by the Center for Breast Surgery in New Oleans (NOLA). I've read about half the book and have learned more than I have after doing extensive internet research and having a consult with 2 plastic surgeons. This is the first resource [...] that names the doctors and centers that have the most experience with the different types of breast reconstuction. The discussion of potiential side effects is straightforward, not frightening, and gives actual percentage rates for each complication AND what can be done to deal with the complication if it arises. This is the first resouce I've found that doesn't just list the complications and stop the discussion, but gives information that reassures me that complications can be dealt with. Every woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer or the BRCA1 or BRCA@ gene mutation should read this book BEFORE starting ANY treatment, even before lumpectomy. This book gives the information needed to make a truly informed decision, info that a general surgeon doesn't give you but that you really need to know.