For the consultation visit where reconstruction options — implant, flap (DIEP, TRAM, latissimus), or none — are discussed and decided. Bring photos of outcomes you’ve seen and liked. Ask to see this surgeon’s before/after gallery.

Reconstruction options

1. Which reconstruction options am I a candidate for (implant, DIEP, TRAM, latissimus, none)?
2. What do you recommend for my specific situation, and why?
3. If I’m considering going flat — what does an aesthetic flat closure involve?
4. How many surgeries does each option require, and over what timeline?
5. Will reconstruction be immediate (same surgery as mastectomy) or delayed?

Implant reconstruction (if relevant)

1. What’s the difference between expanders + implants vs. direct-to-implant?
2. Saline vs. silicone — which do you recommend for me?
3. How long do implants typically last? When are revisions needed?
4. What’s the rate of capsular contracture you see, and how is it treated?

Flap reconstruction (if relevant)

1. Which flap (DIEP, TRAM, latissimus) is right for me, and why?
2. What’s the recovery time at the donor site (abdominal, back)?
3. What’s your flap-failure rate?
4. How long is the surgery, and how long is the hospital stay?

Aesthetics and outcomes

1. Can I see your before/after gallery?
2. What does my reconstructed breast feel like — sensation, weight, mobility?
3. Will I have nipple reconstruction or 3D tattooing? When and how?
4. How symmetrical can I expect the result to be?
5. Will I need surgery on the unaffected side for symmetry?

Timeline and life

1. Total timeline from start to final result — how many surgeries, how many months?
2. How does radiation, if needed, affect the timeline and outcomes?
3. When can I exercise, return to work, sleep on my side?
4. What does long-term care look like (10, 20, 30 years out)?

Risks and revisions

1. What are the most common complications you see, and how are they managed?
2. How likely am I to need a revision surgery, and for what reasons?
3. What does insurance cover, and what does it not?