Clinic Helena Clinic in Savonlinna, Finland

Clinic Helena is a private breast cancer clinic in Finland that was founded in 1999.
Since 2010, the clinic offers its expertise to foreign patients from Russia, China, and other patients who need breast cancer treatment or breast reconstructions.

The breast surgery procedures are carried out by Doctor Helena Puonti, who created her micro neurovascular technology, which aims to restore the sensitivity of the restructured breasts. The doctor has demonstrated that it is possible to retrieve the natural sensitivity in the breast skin even if just one nerve of skin-muscular tissue from the anterior abdominal cavity wall is sewed to the sensitive nerve fiber of the breast.
This innovative method was published in her thesis in 2017.

Dr. Puonti was awarded the “Oncologist of the Year” in 2002 by the Finnish Cancer Society.
In 2001 The Society of Savonlinna Area Business Women named her the “Rosina of the Year” as an acknowledgment of her activity in the Savonlinna business area.
She was designated the “Local hero of 2016” by Local Savonlinna area newspapers, Etelä-Savo radio station, and Savonlinna Society in Helsinki.

The price of the procedures is determined by the preliminary diagnostics, the type of the surgery, and the aftercare.

- Doctor’s consultation (including translation) - 200–600 Euros

- Oncologist consultation:

First visit - 800 Euros

Control visit - 600 Euros

- Breast cancer treatment package - 16 000–24 000 Euros

- Breast reconstruction using LD-flap - 20 000–31 900 Euros

- Breast reconstruction using TRAM method (Sensing breast) - 32 000–50 000 Euros

Read below about the procedures that are carried out at Clinic Helena.

1. Breast Reconstructive Surgery is a procedure that aims to retrieve the body balance and solve the psychological issues that are caused to women after a breast cancer operation.
The breast reconstruction may be carried out during the cancer operation or after 1-2 years when the patient has fully recovered from cancer treatment.
The breasts can be reconstructed using one of the following techniques: autografting (when the patient’s tissues are used), implants, tissue expanders, and fat transfer.
The most popular method used at Clinic Helena is the patient self-tissue transplantation. The breast reconstruction procedure is combined with the unique “Sensing breast” technology, that allows maintaining the sensation to the new breast skin.

2. LD-reconstruction method is suitable for breast reconstruction in the case of very slim patients who lack excess fat and skin on their abdomen. The required tissue for breast formation is transplanted from the back. The procedure will leave a horizontal scar on the back which will usually remain invisible below the bra. In case the patient will need bilateral breast reconstruction, an LD flap will be taken from both sides of the back.

3. Breast Cancer Surgery can be performed using one of the following methods through breast-conserving cancer surgery or breast removal. The type of surgery will depend on the stage of the disease.
In 2017, 75% of the breast cancer surgeries that were carried out at Clinic Helena were performed with the breast-conserving method. This method can be used on relatively big tumors by reducing the size and reshaping large breasts.
Breast removal will be carried out if the tumor is very large in proportion to the breast size or if it is multilocular.