Breast surgery
QVH is the major regional centre for complex, microvascular breast reconstruction following, or simultaneously with, resection for cancer.
Our integrated team of consultants and specialist breast care nurses provide a wide range of reconstructive options and flexibility and also undertake surgery to correct breast asymmetry and breast shape deformity.
Our breast care nurses, Tracey Simms and Pamela Golton, act as a point of contact for patients, relatives, carers and other healthcare professionals. They provide information and practical and emotional support to patients undergoing breast reconstruction and related breast care.
Breast reconstruction photographs
Information on breast reconstruction
Patient information leaflets
- Anaesthesia for major breast reconstruction
- Bra measurement
- Breast care nurse service
- Breast implants
- Breast reconstruction - LD Flap
- Breast reconstruction - S-Gap
- Breast reconstruction - Tram Diep
- Breast reconstruction - TUG Flap
- Breast reduction and seminar information
- Breast reduction surgery
- Breast tissue expansion
- Coleman fat transfer
- Mastopexy
- Nipple and areola micro-pigmentation
- Nipple reconstruction
- Post-op exercises - LD Flap 0-4 weeks
- Post-op exercises - Tram Diep 0-4 weeks
- Post-op exercises - Tram Diep 4-6 weeks
- Tubular breasts
- Wound care after breast surgery
Recent survey results
Clinical effectiveness
The gold standard for breast reconstruction after a mastectomy is a 'free flap' reconstruction using microvascular techniques to take tissue, usually from the abdomen, and use it to form a new breast.
This technique has greater patient satisfaction and longevity but carries greater risks of failure than an implant or pedicled flap reconstruction, so it is important we monitor our success.
We performed 124 free flap breast reconstructions in 2010.
Breast reconstruction after mastectomy using free tissue transfer – flap survival
| QVH target: | 100% |
| Benchmark: | 95–98% (published literature); 98% British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons 2009 |
| QVH 2010/11: | 98.4% |
| QVH 2009/10: |
98.7% |
Full details of our patient safety, patient experience and clinical effectiveness measures are published in our annual Quality Accounts.