Reconstruction with Implants - Implants are plastic sacs filled with silicone (a type of liquid plastic) or saline (salt water). The sacs are placed under your skin behind your chest muscle.

There are concerns about silicone-filled implants.

Manufacturers and recent studies report that the silicon-filled implants are safe. They say that the safety record of implants is based on 30 years of experience with more than one million women.

However, lawsuits have been filed for women who claim that the implants caused them to develop immune system disorders (such as lupus, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis) and other complications.

Possible problems: It is natural for scar tissue to form around an implant. Sometimes this scar may shrink, causing the implant to ball up and feel firm. This can cause pain or a deformed breast. This scar tissue may have to be treated with surgery. Breakage of the implant's cover is another possible problem.

Reconstruction with Tissue Flaps - Muscle, fat and skin from another part of the body can be moved to the chest area, where it is shaped into the form of a breast. This tissue can be taken from the:

• Lower stomach area (rectus abdominis muscle flap)

• Back (latissimus dorsi muscle flap)

• Buttocks (gluteus muscle flap).

Possible problems: There are larger wounds. It takes longer to recover. If there is a poor blood supply to the flap tissue, part or all of the new breast can be lost. Infection and poor wound healing are possible problems. Choose a plastic surgeon who has been trained in this procedure and has performed it successfully on many other women.