Before you decide to go for the procedure, it is good to know what to expect during a DIEP flap breast reconstruction. As this plastic surgery is highly specialized, it is always best to get it done by a plastic surgeon who has an excellent track record in performing the procedure. If you are a candidate for the procedure, it is worth doing it. You can get a soft and natural looking breast that makes you feel complete.
DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction – An In-depth Look into the Procedure
DIEP flap surgery is carried out under general anesthesia. Your plastic surgeon will remove skin and fat from your abdominal area and use it to make the new breast mound. Some people would call this procedure a "free" flap technique because it involves complete detachment of a portion of abdominal skin and fat from its original blood supply and connection of the flap to a new supply in the breast region. A microscope would be used to achieve the attachment and also to ensure that there is proper blood flow. Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator (DIEP) is the specific tissue that the plastic surgeon would be taking out from your abdomen. This tissue is the chief blood vessel located under the rectus abdominus (an important abdominal muscle).
The Many Benefits
No foreign materials would be inserted into your body during a DIEP flap breast reconstruction and so, risks of the procedure are reduced. Following the first breast reconstruction surgery, the surgeon would recreate and perhaps even increase the size of the nipple. For this purpose, he may utilize a small amount of cartilage or the breast's local tissue flaps. The final step is the tattooing of the areola complex. As the plastic surgeon uses skin and fat from your abdominal area and tightens the area after the extraction, you would be getting the added benefit of something similar to a tummy tuck.
Your plastic surgeon would take all the necessary precautions to limit discomfort and pain for the period during and after the procedure. The procedure would take anywhere from 3 to 8 hours to complete. One-sided (unilateral) reconstruction would require less time than two-sided (bilateral) reconstruction. Recovery would take about five or six weeks.
The DIEP flap reconstruction involves no removal of muscle. This affords you the following benefits:
If you have any clarifications about what to expect during a DIEP flap breast reconstruction, you can always check with your doctor. You can expect him to give you all the necessary details, including information about care before and after the procedure, and about probable risks, during your initial consultation with him.
DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction – An In-depth Look into the Procedure
DIEP flap surgery is carried out under general anesthesia. Your plastic surgeon will remove skin and fat from your abdominal area and use it to make the new breast mound. Some people would call this procedure a "free" flap technique because it involves complete detachment of a portion of abdominal skin and fat from its original blood supply and connection of the flap to a new supply in the breast region. A microscope would be used to achieve the attachment and also to ensure that there is proper blood flow. Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator (DIEP) is the specific tissue that the plastic surgeon would be taking out from your abdomen. This tissue is the chief blood vessel located under the rectus abdominus (an important abdominal muscle).
The Many Benefits
No foreign materials would be inserted into your body during a DIEP flap breast reconstruction and so, risks of the procedure are reduced. Following the first breast reconstruction surgery, the surgeon would recreate and perhaps even increase the size of the nipple. For this purpose, he may utilize a small amount of cartilage or the breast's local tissue flaps. The final step is the tattooing of the areola complex. As the plastic surgeon uses skin and fat from your abdominal area and tightens the area after the extraction, you would be getting the added benefit of something similar to a tummy tuck.
Your plastic surgeon would take all the necessary precautions to limit discomfort and pain for the period during and after the procedure. The procedure would take anywhere from 3 to 8 hours to complete. One-sided (unilateral) reconstruction would require less time than two-sided (bilateral) reconstruction. Recovery would take about five or six weeks.
The DIEP flap reconstruction involves no removal of muscle. This affords you the following benefits:
- Decreases morbidity of donor site
- Helps to preserve strength and integrity of the abdomen
- There is less pain and recovery is faster
- Reduced possibility of hernia developing in the abdominal area
If you have any clarifications about what to expect during a DIEP flap breast reconstruction, you can always check with your doctor. You can expect him to give you all the necessary details, including information about care before and after the procedure, and about probable risks, during your initial consultation with him.
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