Before and after bilateral DIEP flap breast reconstruction in a 39 year old breast cancer survivor. She had previously been treated for a right breast cancer with a non-skin sparing mastectomy and chemotherapy.
Despite a strong family history for breast cancer and a young age at diagnosis, she had not been offered genetic testing! We referred her for testing and she tested positive for the BRCA gene. She elected to have a left prophylactic mastectomy and bilateral DIEP flap breast reconstructions.
Her left nipple was saved as a free graft and reapplied to the left breast reconstruction during her surgery. A piece of the left nipple was used to reconstruct the right nipple via nipple sparing, and part of the areola was used to reconstruct the right areola as a free areola skin graft.
Early follow up photos are shown 7 weeks after surgery. She is still very swollen but her nipple and areola grafts are healing well with 100% “take” (graft survival).
Her left breast reconstruction is significantly more swollen than the right since she has mastectomy healing as well, as compared to a right sided delayed reconstruction. She will continue to heal over the next year and achieve symmetry with time.
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
