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Thinking About Breast Cancer and Breast Reconstruction During the Coronavirus Pandemic

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A diagnosis of breast cancer is devastating at any time, but it can seem impossible to sort out your best options in the middle of a global pandemic. When healthy people everywhere are already overwhelmed with survival, what are the options for a woman who has just been presented with a cancer diagnosis? Fortunately, as […]
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Advances in Breast Surgery: Correcting Failed Implants

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Among women who opt for reconstruction after losing a breast to mastectomy, 80% undergo reconstruction with implants. Many women see implants as the quickest, simplest reconstructive option. Their other choice – natural-tissue reconstruction – requires a more complex surgery and longer recovery time. However, studies have shown that the risk of cosmetic and health problems […]
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Less Pain, Quicker Recovery: ERAS Is All About Improving the Patient Experience

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Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is an evidence-based, patient-focused protocol that reduces hospital stays, minimizes postoperative pain, and speeds overall patient recovery after surgery. Frankly, ERAS has transformed the mentality of many health providers who used to just accept the status quo. For breast surgery patients, we have implemented ERAS to put people on the […]
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How to Give Yourself the Best Chance for a Normal Breast Shape After Mastectomy: Designing Your Surgical Incisions to Preserve the Skin Envelope of Your Breast

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Many people who have seen a woman’s chest after mastectomy have been exposed to the bold horizontal line that marks the spot where the breast existed before it was amputated. The preoperative markings for a traditional mastectomy look like an eye drawn on the breast to indicate the area of skin that will be cut […]
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Understanding the Link Between Breast Implants and Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL)

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Just before the holidays, I ran into a colleague who is the chief of plastic surgery at a major cancer center in our area. He told me that 8 patients in the last 3 months had presented to him with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) after breast reconstruction with breast implants. ALCL is a extremely […]
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Traveling to Another City for Breast Reconstruction

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Women undergoing mastectomy must make decisions about breast reconstruction: whether, when, and how to have breast reconstruction and, crucially, who should perform the surgery. Often, women are referred to a plastic surgeon by their breast surgeon and assume that all of their options will be presented. In reality both mastectomy and breast reconstruction have come […]
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Understanding the Options for Body Contouring After Bariatric Surgery: Panniculectomy or Abdominoplasty?

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Tens of thousands of people each year achieve dramatic weight loss by undergoing bariatric surgery. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, in 2017, 228,000 people underwent surgery to restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold or reduce the absorption of nutrients or both. Surgical techniques vary according to the […]
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Body Contouring After Bariatric Surgery, Removing the Excess Fat and Skin

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Bariatric surgery delivers life-changing benefits for many people each year. In 2017, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery estimates that 228,000 people underwent weight loss surgery. While bariatric surgery can improve underlying physical and emotional health, the dramatic change in body size due to weight loss can also leave patients with excess skin […]
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Advances in Breast Reconstruction: Fat Grafting to Improve Outcomes

Illustration of a Woman with a city backdrop
For many women who have lost one or both breasts to mastectomy, achieving the ideal breast reconstruction may take time and patience. While it is tempting to opt for short-term quick fixes, the reality is that breast reconstruction after mastectomy should be considered a process rather than a single procedure. Even with the most advanced […]
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Advances in Breast Reconstruction: The Pap Flap Reduces Visible Scarring

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Women undergoing breast reconstruction after mastectomy have many options. The gold standard of breast reconstruction is natural tissue breast reconstruction, in which a woman’s own tissue is used to reconstruct the breast. Unlike implant-based breast reconstruction, a restored breast made of your own tissue is soft, warm, and grows or shrinks as you gain or […]
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Many of our patients have volunteered to speak with other women who may have questions about what it is like to go through restorative breast and body surgery. If you would like to speak with someone who has already gone through the process, please contact us and we will find a “buddy” for you.

#BosomBuddies

The Bosom Buddies are available for emotional support, practical tips, sharing stories, and other types of real life help that can help other women feel more comfortable and safe in their journey.

Out-of-Town Patients

With patients from all over the world, we do our best to help provide optimal resources when traveling to New York City for plastic surgery. Whether you're looking for a hotel or other lodging, this can be a tool while booking your travel.

Visiting patients

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Please reach out to us with any questions that you may have. If you would like more information or would like to make an appointment, we would be happy to speak with you. We look forward to helping you throughout your journey.

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Patient Resources

In order to make intelligent decisions, it is important for a woman to do her research and educate herself about all of the choices available to her. A library is a collection of information sources made accessible to a community for reference.

News & Media

As one of the leading breast reconstruction specialists in the United States, Dr. Constance Chen has been featured in over 100 news and media publications and journals over her years in practice.

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