MITERA: New Innovative Breast Reconstruction Method with Pre-pectoral Implant Placement

17 January 2019

A new breast reconstruction method involving pre-pectoral implant placement has started being implemented at the MITERA Hospital Breast Center with excellent results.

It is one of the first times the technique is being used in Greece. The procedures are performed by the Surgical Team of MITERA 2nd Breast Clinic, headed by Breast Surgeon Dr. Eleni Faliakou, MD and assisted by Dr. Dimitrios Mastorakos, MD, PhD, Plastic Surgeon and Scientific Associate at MITERA Hospital.

The first procedure performed was bilateral on a patient with a history of bilateral mastectomies, and the results were very satisfactory. The patient was discharged on the same day. Another six similar bilateral breast reconstruction procedures have been performed so far.

This technique involves placing acellular dermal matrix (processed skin grafts without epidermis or cells, i.e. a collagen matrix) above the pectoralis muscle, offering women a more natural result, significantly less postoperative pain, shorter operative time, faster recovery and faster return to their day-to-day activities.

As explained by the Director of the MITERA 2nd Breast Clinic, Breast Surgeon Dr. Eleni Faliakou, and the Clinic’s Associate, Plastic Surgeon Dr. Dimitrios Mastorakοs, “Until recently, breast reconstruction techniques using prostheses required placing them in a cavity created by the surgeon behind the pectoralis major muscle. One of the problems for women who underwent this type of reconstruction was the deformity observed in their cleavage when the pectoralis muscle system was activated/contracted. Furthermore, placement behind the pectoralis muscles makes the procedure more difficult to perform, is more painful for the woman, and increases the risk of hemorrhage and the surgery time. For these reasons, many efforts had been expended to make it possible to place the prosthesis above the pectoralis major muscle, in the area where the mammary gland naturally lies. However, these led to high rates of capsule formation (hardening of the tissue around the breast prosthesis), so the method was initially abandoned. Recently, though, through the introduction of acellular dermal matrices to the medical world, we can now fully support breast reconstruction using these materials.”

Despite the higher costs associated with the use of the acellular dermal matrix, the advantages of this technique are that it only requires one surgical procedure and the results are more natural, without deformity due to muscle construction. It is yet another step closer to complete recovery for women who have undergone mastectomies.