DIEP flaps are excellent options for breast reconstruction in patients who have undergone radiation therapy. Often the skin above the tumor needs to be resected during a mastectomy and an oncoplastic mastectomy is completed to facilitate clearing an anterior margin. When tissue expanders are placed and then radiated, the tissue expander can be affected by capsular contracture forces around the expander. removing the expander and surrounding radiated skin can help form a nicely shaped reconstructed breast mound. The donor site of lower abdominal tissue that is transferred to the breast is closed in the same manner as an abdominoplasty.
About Brian Dickinson
Dr. Dickinson is a Board Certified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon operating out of Newport Beach, California. He believes that the reconstructive and aesthetic surgical principles appropriately complement each other and share's his techniques and advice freely.
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