There are several oncoplastic techniques that are used to reconstruct the breast following lumpectomy for breast cancer. These oncoplastic techniques can be utilized in conjunction with DIEP flap reconstruction for mastectomy in sequence. Patients can undergo lumpectomy for breast cancer with oncoplastic reconstruction. The staging of the lumpectomy and oncoplastic reconstruction can place a ptotic nipple areola complex in a…
Occasionally, patients undergo mastectomy and then follow with radiation therapy. When these patients undergo breast reconstruction, we use the term delayed breast reconstruction. The term delayed reconstruction is utilized to characterize a reconstruction that occurs after a mastectomy and other treatments versus an immediate reconstruction that occurs in whole or in part simultaneously with the mastectomy. When the skin that…
The skin and fat from the lower abdomen can be used to reconstruct the breast following mastectomy. This type of reconstruction is called autologous breast reconstruction or flap reconstruction. The deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap uses the skin and fat from the lower abdomen, and maintains a significant amount of abdominal wall musculature. The tissue that is transferred…
Deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flaps can be very helpful for unilateral breast reconstruction following mastectomy for breast cancer. Autologous breast reconstruction is a type of breast reconstruction where the patients own body tissue is used to reconstruct the breast. This is a different type of reconstruction from an implant based breast reconstruction. When a patient undergoes a unilateral mastectomy,…
There are several options to reconstruct the breast following mastectomy. Depending upon the degree of pre-operative ptosis of the breast, the patient may be a candidate for a nipple sparing mastectomy. A nipple sparing mastectomy may be performed through an inframamary incision. For a DIEP flap reconstruction, the operative surgeon often needs access to blood vessels in the chest, usually…
Ventral hernias can occur after previous abdominal surgery. Hernias can often occur from the presence of medical or surgical comorbidities. One of the most important factors that can be readily controlled is protein intake. We often tell patients that protein intake should be increased to 1-2 grams per kg of body weight so that patients have adequate protein stores to…
