Prophylactic Mastectomy with Immediate Reconstruction

With Dr. Khouri’s micro-fat grafting procedure, the patient could be back at work within 1-2 weeks, while a full recovery can be expected in 3 months. No morbidity, no complications, no foreign material and no new scars.

If you are at risk for hereditary breast cancer and have tested positive for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 Gene, we are here to ease your mind. Dr. Roger Khouri has pioneered a natural breast reconstruction, following a prophylactic mastectomy, that will help you reclaim your breasts. Our scientifically-proven third option procedure is the least invasive reconstruction method, producing the most natural results.

One of the major side benefits of our BRAVA + AFT procedure, is that unlike implant or flap reconstructions, we are able to restore the nerves, resulting in near-normal sensation in the breasts. No other procedure does this. Our friendly staff will walk you through the process, step by step, so you feel comfortable with your decision. Some of our staff members are breast cancer survivors so we understand the emotions you are dealing with at a time like this. Kindness and compassion go hand-in-hand with our breakthrough medical procedure.

Most women who have a prophylactic mastectomy chose to do immediately reconstruction. We are able to help you restore your breasts at the time of your surgery or at a later date. Our technique is explained in detail below. Please also visit the Prophylactic Breast Reconstruction Photo Gallery, page of the site.

Prophylactic Mastectomy

Ideally, the procedure begins in the operating room at the time of your prophylactic surgery. Dr. Khouri will join your oncological surgeon in the operating room. Right then and there, he will begin the reconstruction process by performing a gentle limited liposuction to harvest some of your own fat and then inject it into the breast area, so that you leave the hospital with a slight breast mound.

Note: For those patients who had a prophylactic mastectomy in the past, the procedure begins with the next step below.

Using BRAVA for Immediate Reconstruction

The patient starts the reconstruction process by wearing the external expander device called BRAVA after her prophylactic mastectomy. She wears the bra while she sleeps for 3 to 5 weeks prior to the first grafting session. BRAVA is a comfortable soft gel-like bra. See BRAVA page for more details.

Not only does BRAVA expand the skin from the outside, it also has the effect of regenerating an edema like breast mound through the expansion of tissues and nerves. BRAVA also increases the blood flow to the mastectomy scar. This does two important things, which are unique to this technique:

• It creates an adequate vascular matrix into which the liposuctioned fat is later injected.
• It allows the patient to keep almost normal sensation in her breasts and nipples.

Fat Transfer During Immediate Reconstruction

Once the patient has worn the BRAVA for a few weeks, she goes for an out-patient procedure where fat is removed from one area of her body and meticulously injected back as hundreds of tiny individual droplets at the breast site that has been enlarged by the BRAVA expansion. These micro-fat grafts are harvested by gentle liposuction from the patient’s thighs, buttocks and stomach – wherever there is fat to spare.

There are no incisions, no new scars…only tiny needles and very quick recovery time. Body sculpting is a side-benefit that women love. Your new breasts will feel and look natural but they will contain no breast tissue.

We are currently able to achieve up to a small B cup natural breast filled with your own fat with only one small outpatient fat grafting procedure. To attain larger breast cup sizes, the fat grafting process usually has to be repeated 2-3 times over a period of 2 – 6 months.

For more information on this reconstruction please go to Reconstruction After Mastectomy page.

We are proud supporters of FORCE, the only national nonprofit organization devoted to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Their mission includes support, education, advocacy, awareness, and research specific to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.