Houston Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery 1-713-791-0700

Why DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction is

Popular
More than 200,000 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed
every year in the nited !tates" #f $astecto$y is %art of the
treat$ent %lan, %atients $ay also consider breast
reconstruction as the ne&t ste%" 'ee% #nferior (%igastric
Perforator )'#(P* fla% is an advanced %lastic surgery
techni+ue that $a,es
use of the %atient-s
own abdo$inal s,in
and fat to recreate a
natural, war$, and
soft breast" .s the sto$ach $uscles left untouched, %atients
can $aintain abdo$inal strength with less %ost-surgical
co$%lications" /hese benefits have $ade '#(P fla% a
%o%ular $ethod of breast reconstruction"
Benefits of DIEP Flap Surgery
/his cutting-edge technique to reconstruct the breasts
uses a fla% of co$%lete tissue - blood vessels, s,in and fat -
fro$ a wo$an0s lower abdo$en as donor tissue" /he
surgeon transfers this '#(P fla% to the chest and attaches it
to the chest blood vessels to reconstruct the breast" /his
results in a natural-loo,ing breast while %reserving core
abdo$inal strength"
. better understanding of the benefits of the %rocedure can
be obtained by co$%aring it with the /1.M fla%
%rocedure" #n /1.M fla%, the entire rectus abdo$inis
Houston Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery 1-713-791-0700
$uscle, which carries the blood vessels, subcutaneous fat,
and s,in to create a breast, is harvested" /hough it can
%roduce natural loo,ing results, /1.M fla% surgery can
cause co$%lications such as abdo$inal wea,ness, hernias,
or bulges because the abdo$inal $uscle is also re$oved"
/his does not occur in the '#(P fla% %rocedure" /he ,ey
benefits of 'ee% #nferior (%igastric Perforator
reconstruction can be listed as follows
2o ris, of abdo$inal wea,ness or hernia, as rectus
$uscles are not ta,en for breast recreation
3el%s in +uic, recovery with less %ain
1e$oval of abdo$inal s,in and fat results in a tu$$y
tuc,
4ess than 15 failure rate
More realistic breast a%%earance and te&ture
/he %rocedure can $a,e the breasts loo, balanced and
%atients feel co$fortable that the reconstructed breast loo,s
natural" /hey can %er$anently regain breast contour and
avoid the need for an e&ternal %rosthesis"
oo! "an!i!ates for the DIEP Flap Proce!ure
6o$en can choose to have breast reconstruction either at
the ti$e of $astecto$y, or during a later date" (&ce%t for
wo$en who lac, abdo$inal tissue to recreate the breast, all
others are usually good candidates for '#(P fla% breast
reconstruction surgery# #t is advisable that candidates
considering reconstruction see their %lastic surgeon before
Houston Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery 1-713-791-0700
the $astecto$y" /his will allow the surgeon to ta,e %recise
$easure$ents and %ictures of the natural breasts, and use
this infor$ation to create a $ore natural loo,ing fla% for
use in the reconstruction" 4oo,ing at %hotos of other
reconstructions can hel% the %atient $a,e the right
decision, while saving breast s,in and %reventing
unnecessary scars"
Patients usually need to s%end five days in the surgical
center" .fter discharge, $ost are able to get bac, to routine
activities within 7 to 12 wee,s, de%ending on their general
health" 2i%%le reconstruction is usually done four $onths
%osto%eratively"