Oncoplastic reconstruction is the combination of oncologic surgery and plastic surgery. The same techniques that are used to improve the appearance of the breast can be used to allow access to remove tumors from the breast while improving the overall shape and appearance. The tumors of the breast can be localized with either…
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…
