BREAST surgery and breast reconstruction have been slow to be recognised in Hong Kong, although advances in breast cancer surgery have been put into use at Queen Mary Hospital.
Breast cancer is the seventh most common cancer in Hong Kong, causing the death of about 350 women every year.
Although breast reconstruction has been increasingly performed in the territory, the percentage is still much lower than in Western countries.
But breast reconstruction using the latest technique, known as the TRAM (Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous) flap, has been performed at Queen Mary Hospital for several years with a great deal of success.
Patients have been more than satisfied with the results, according to the hospital.
When performed at the time of mastectomy, it only takes another hour to complete.
