Autologous breast reconstruction involves the use of the patient’s own body tissue (skin and fat) to reconstruct the breasts. The lower abdominal tissue is often the most frequently used autologous tissue donor site. Patients can undergo either immediate reconstruction following mastectomy or delayed reconstruction following mastectomy. When patients are not likely to need radiation following mastectomy, it is often better…
Patients typically ask in consultation what the recovery is like following DIEP or TRAM Flap surgery. I find that patients may have some misconceptions regarding how they are going to look and feel post-operatively. Typically at one week post-operatively, most or all drains have been removed and steri-strips remain in place on the breast reconstruction or on the abdomen. Bruising…
Typically, breast reconstruction with autologous tissue occurs in three stages. For deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flaps, the skin and fat is harvested from the lower abdomen and transferred to the mastectomy site. In the second stage of the reconstruction which occurs at a later date, a symmetry procedure is performed on the reconstructed breast mound. Additionally, at that time,…
