[Reconstruction of the breast after mastectomy]

A wider use of reconstructive surgery of the breast has become possible since Patey-modified mastectomy has been preferred to Halsted classic radical mastectomy for operable breast cancer and routine use of postoperative radiotherapy discontinued in patients eligible for adjuvant chemotherapy. Reconstructive techniques are reviewed and pitfalls subjected to careful scrutiny. It is thought that women might be encouraged to seek earlier medical advice after noticing a lump in the breast if they are alive to the prospect of possibile restoration of the contours of the breast after ablative surgery.