Before and after right breast TUG flap and left breast DIEP flap reconstruction in a 45-year-old breast cancer survivor. She previously had a left mastectomy and implant reconstruction that resulted in extremely poor breast symmetry.
She wanted to have her implant removed and replaced with her body’s own tissue. Since she did not have much abdominal tissue, her inner thighs were her best “donor site” for a free flap. The left implant was removed, and her chest muscle was returned to her chest wall. Skin, fat and a small portion of inner thigh muscle was harvested from her right upper inner thigh and transplanted to her left chest.
At the same time, a right breast lift created improved symmetry of her breasts. Her left nipple and areola was reconstructed using a free nipple graft from the right breast, and right areola skin graft that was moved to the left breast rather than being discarded during the right mastopexy.
After this surgery, she returned to her life and followed up with us annually, until she was diagnosed with a new right breast cancer seven years later after going through menopause. At age 52 now, she elected to have a mastectomy rather than a lumpectomy to avoid radiation therapy. She felt very strongly that she did not want another implant for reconstruction.
Since she had gained weight, she now had enough lower abdominal skin and fat for a second flap-based breast reconstruction – the DIEP flap. A combined right nipple-sparing mastectomy and DIEP flap breast reconstruction was performed so that she was “all-natural, without implants again.”
Follow up photos are shown 8 years after her left breast TUG flap reconstruction and 1 year after her right breast DIEP flap reconstruction. She is grateful for reconstructive microsurgery and that she was able to use her body’s own tissue for breast reconstruction, twice!
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
