According to the American Cancer Society, more than 211 000 women in the USA were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2005, (American Cancer Society. www.cancer.org. 2005). Nearly 65 000 of these women had postmastectomy reconstruction – a 100% increase from just over a decade ago, (American Society of Plastic Surgeons. www.plasticsurgery.org. 2005). A significant proportion of these women, will elect to undergo bilateral mastectomy for treatment and/or prophylaxis of breast cancer. Contemporary techniques provide numerous options for bilateral, postmastectomy reconstruction. Procedure selection will be based on a range of patient variables, including: availability of local, regional, and distant donor tissues for bilateral reconstruction, size and shape of the desired breasts, surgical risk, and most importantly, patient preference. Ultimately, the individualized selection of a reconstructive technique for each patient is a predominant factor in achieving a reconstructive success.
