Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction is challenging. Mastectomy reconstruction in some patients can involve using the patient’s own tissue rather than implants for breast reconstruction. In the DIEP flap breast reconstruction, the lower abdominal tissue that is usually discarded in a tummy tuck is used to reconstruct the breast. The deep inferior epigastric artery and vein provides the blood supply to the…
In some breast cancer patients who have lymph node positivity or large tumors, breast cancer may be best treated with lumpectomy if radiation will be needed for either lumpectomy or mastectomy. When the breast tumor is close to the overlying skin or involves the overlying skin, the skin will need to be removed during a lumpectomy or mastectomy. The latissimus…
Breast cancer reconstruction is challenging. In some patients, who do not wish to have implants, we can reconstruct the breast with the patient’s own body tissue. This is called an autologous breast reconstruction. In the DIEP flap reconstruction, the skin and fat from the abdomen and sometimes a small cuff of rectus muscle is disconnected from the blood supply in…
Breast implant reconstruction after bilateral mastectomy for breast cancer or BRCA-1 positivity can be challenging. After a mastectomy, there is less blood flow to the skin and there less soft tissue coverage available for an implant. Some patients may experience cellulitis, gross infection, or significant capsular contracture after mastectomy reconstruction. In some patients that experience this we remove the implants…
