October is breast cancer awareness month. Some patients can undergo successful treatment of their breast cancer with lumpectomy and oncoplastic reconstruction of their lumpectomy defect. The same patterns that are used to lift the breast can be used to reconstruct the lumpectomy defect. When the tumor lies outside of the standard breast lift skin pattern, the skin patten can be…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer reconstruction can occur in a delayed fashion-meaning at a time remote since the date of mastectomy. When the skin of the breast has been radiated or if it is significantly scared from infection, the breast can often be reconstructed with skin and fat from the abdomen. This operation is called DIEP flap…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer treatment and reconstruction is extremely challenging. Mastectomy reconstruction can be performed with DIEP flaps. One of the more common questions that patients ask regarding flap reconstruction, is when do you use the skin from the abdomen and when do you use the skin that is already covering the breast. The simple answer…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The treatment of breast cancer and its reconstruction is extremely challenging. Patients often need chemotherapy and radiation as a part of their therapy. Chemotherapy and radiation can make wound healing challenging When skin has been previously radiated, it makes it very challenging to eradicate infection. In these scenarios we use vascularized skin and subcutaneous…
