Breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure that restores the appearance of your breast after a mastectomy. It can use tissue transplanted from another part of your body, implants, or a combination of the two.
Our breast reconstruction ERAS program is designed to help patients return to health more quickly after undergoing the surgery.
Goals
Make this an ideal surgical experience for you, the patient.
Incorporate innovative pain medications to improve your postoperative pain control while decreasing your narcotic needs.
Prevent potential surgical and anesthesia complications.
Reduce the amount of time you’re in the hospital, aiming for a discharge from the hospital after two to three days.
Decrease your likelihood of having to return to the hospital after discharge.
Prior to Surgery
Your surgeon will meet with you to explain surgical plans and set your expectations for surgery.
Contact your surgeon via MyChart or call the surgical clinic with questions: 214-645-2353.
We will call you to provide instructions for surgery and medications prior to surgery. You might also be scheduled for an appointment in our pre-surgical testing clinic to meet with our anesthesia team or have blood drawn.
We might request testing from your other physicians.
Call our pre-surgical testing clinic with any questions: 214-633-4202.
Lifestyle modifications:
We encourage you to stop smoking and consuming alcohol for one month prior to surgery.
We encourage you to increase your physical activity prior to surgery.
Eat a balanced, healthy diet high in protein, and remain hydrated.
On the night before surgery, do not eat solid foods after 11 p.m.
Follow instructions from your surgeon regarding skin preparation.
You can drink clear liquids (such as water, Gatorade, or Sprite) up to two hours before your surgery start time.
Drink either a bottle of water or a 12-oz. Gatorade on the way to the hospital, at least two hours before your surgery start time.
In the pre-op area, you will receive oral non-narcotic pain medications (gabapentin, celecoxib, and acetaminophen) to improve your postoperative pain.
During Surgery
You will receive general anesthesia and be completely asleep during the procedure.
Your anesthesia team will monitor you very closely while you are asleep and will insert additional intravenous (IV) lines or monitors if necessary.
You will receive multiple medications during surgery to treat pain and nausea.
There will be a specific and tailored anesthetic protocol to decrease the stress on your body, improve pain control, and accelerate your recovery.
A nerve block might be performed during the procedure. This is designed to decrease your postoperative pain and need for IV and oral pain medications.
Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and After
You will wake up in our recovery room (post-anesthesia care unit). Nurses with special training will closely monitor your reconstructed flap(s).
You will be asked to chew gum and ice chips and to drink clear liquids to help with recovery of bowel function.
You will be given an incentive spirometer to remind you to take deep breaths.
Starting on the day after your surgery, we encourage you to get out of bed and walk with help from your nurse.
Try to increase the distance and frequency of your walks each day; doing so will help your bowel function return to normal, prevent deconditioning, and speed up your recovery.
Unless instructed otherwise by your nurse or surgeon, you will be able to eat a normal diet the day after your surgery. Continue to chew gum or hard candy as well.
You will take scheduled non-opioid pain medications during your recovery and have narcotic medications available for breakthrough pain if necessary.
A Team Approach to Recovery
Jennifer Elia, M.D., explains why a team approach leads to better recovery.
