A common concern among breast cancer survivors is how they can restore their natural appearance through reconstruction. Our team of surgeons at Florida Plastic Surgery Group is committed to offering the latest, most advanced techniques for helping women restore their sense of femininity. One of the many breast reconstruction options we offer following a mastectomy is the DIEP Flap (deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap) technique.
While each reconstructive option has its own benefits, we have found the DIEP Flap, which uses a patient’s own tissue, may offer one the most natural-looking outcomes. Through this procedure, which can be performed during a mastectomy or later, excess skin and fat (along with their blood vessels) are harvested from the abdomen and transferred to reconstruct the breast. Following a breast cancer diagnosis, reconstruction with the DIEP flap is typically covered by insurance as a result of the Women’s Health Act. Major advantages to this surgery include reconstruction without an implant, abdominal muscles being preserved, and the waistline being contoured in the process.
When a patient opts for this procedure, two of our plastic surgeons work together to perform both the reconstruction and the microsurgery required to transfer and reattach the blood vessels. This makes for a less time-consuming surgery, as well as more precision throughout the process. If you have previously undergone breast reconstruction with implants, you can opt to replace the implants with your own tissue through a procedure like the DIEP Flap technique, and this can help avoid further implant revisions.
To learn more about this autologous breast reconstruction technique, or if you would like to schedule a consultation at our practice, please feel free to contact us today.
