A group of scientists in Ghent developed a material for breast reconstruction and are founding a spin-off to bring their invention to patients. ‘The biggest challenge is everything you can’t control.’

Good breast reconstruction is not self-evident. Each of the available methods has obvious disadvantages. For example, silicone breast implants are available, but they need to be replaced every 10 to 15 years. There are also growing concerns about the safety of these implants. A second option is the microsurgical free flap, which is a very complicated, invasive technique that causes additional scarring. Finally, there is lipofilling, which uses the body’s own fat tissue for reconstruction.