Breast Reconstruction Chicago

Tissue expanders are exactly what they sound like, they are medical devices that expand tissue. In the context of plastic and reconstructive surgery, tissue expanders more specifically are temporary, empty implants that are placed immediately following a mastectomy.

There are two kinds of mastectomy: skin-sparing and nipple-sparing. Nipple-sparing, as its name suggests, spares the nipple so no reconstruction is needed. Skin-sparing leaves only skin with which to reconstruct the breasts and therefore some women decide they want to have nipple reconstruction done.

Breast cancer research and treating breast cancer patients is an important aspect of Dr. Kim’s practice. Many women who have a mastectomy choose to go through some form of breast reconstruction.

This past Friday, November 14th, Dr. Kim gave the Keynote Lecture at the Korean Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Meeting. While this event is normally held in Seoul, South Korea the coronavirus pandemic result in an online meeting.

October isn’t only for scary costumes and too much Halloween candy — it is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Throughout the month there are specific days to honor the different aspects of the fight against breast cancer,

Breast cancer treatment can be a scary and emotional time for women. Fortunately, breast reconstruction following mastectomy provides an opportunity for women to restore their quality of life and gain back confidence after the breast is removed.

In March of 2016 Dr. John Kim was the keynote speaker at the Barcelona Breast Meeting. This conference invited world-renowned international faculty to meet and share knowledge on the latest breast surgery techniques. Current techniques were showcased in the form of live surgery sessions,

Dr. Kim has just returned from China after presenting and performing live surgery at the Second International Multi-disciplinary Breast Cancer Symposium in  Shenzhen China at the 2017 Guangdong Society of Chest Oncology Breast Cancer Committee Shenzhen Meeting.

Acellular dermal matrices (ADM) were first used in 1994 to treat burns, and their usage has become more extensive including as a tool in breast reconstructions1,2. ADM is an acellular connective tissue graft that provides a scaffold for the patient’s own cells to grow3.

Mammography is the most common radiographic tool used to identify lesions that may indicate breast cancer. In a comprehensive report by the United States Preventative Services Task Force they found a reduced breast cancer mortality in women who underwent regular mammography screenings1.