Breast reconstruction is intended for breast cancer patients who had to undergo a mastectomy (removal of a breast or breasts) or a severely deforming lumpectomy (removal of just the cancerous area).  There are different methods of reconstruction after breast cancer.  In some breast reconstruction procedures, the skin is conditioned over weeks to months with a saline solution, and an implant is then inserted.  An alternative breast reconstruction method called "flap reconstruction" pulls skin, fat, and muscle from other parts of the body to either create a pocket (or flap) for an implant, or create a breast mound on its own.