The DIEP flap procedure is the most advanced form of breast reconstruction available today.

Unlike the TRAM flap, the DIEP flap preserves all the abdominal muscles. Only abdominal skin and fat are removed similar to a "tummy tuck". Patients experience less pain after surgery because of this, enjoy a faster recovery and maintain their abdominal strength long-term. Since all the abdominal muscle is preserved, the risk of abdominal complications such as bulging and hernia is also very small, much smaller than with the TRAM flap.

The skin and fat below the belly button feels very similar to breast tissue. It is the perfect choice to replace the breast tissue removed by the mastectomy. The blood vessels ("perforators") that keep this skin and fat alive lie just beneath or within the abdominal muscle. A small incision is made in the abdominal muscle to access these vessels.

The prepared tissue ("flap") is then disconnected from the body and transplanted to the chest using microsurgery. The surgeons then shape the tissue to create the new breast.

Sometimes all the lower abdominal tissue is needed to reconstruct one breast. Occasionally this cannot be performed as a single flap. For example, the patient may have a previous midline abdominal scar or may be too thin. In these cases, the lower abdominal tissue can be transplanted as 2 separate flaps which are then reconnected on the chest using microsurgery to create one breast. This technique is known as the "stacked DIEP flap" procedure.

Dr C

http://www.PRMA-enhance.com