Before and after bilateral breast reconstruction revision using a DIEP flap and balancing mastopexy in a 49-year-old breast cancer survivor. After her right non-nipple-sparing mastectomy, tissue expander reconstruction and radiation therapy, she decided to seek autogenous tissue reconstruction – which uses the body’s own tissue. She couldn’t stand the high position of her textured silicone implant and the related animation deformity.
Her goals were to have a reconstruction larger than her currently filled tissue expander, to have a lift of her left breast, and a flatter tummy. She was an ideal candidate for the DIEP flap, given her excess belly tissue she accumulated after having three children. Her textured breast implant was removed from under the muscle, and her pectoralis major muscle was reattached to the chest wall. Skin and fat was microvascularly transplanted from the lower abdomen to the right chest. A left balancing redo mastopexy (breast lift) was performed at the same time.
Six months later, her right nipple was reconstructed using the left-to-right free nipple graft (nipple sharing) technique. Medical tattoo created a new areolar circle on the right and brightened the left areola to match.
Follow up photos are shown 2 years after surgery. She loves her results and calls it her “Mommy Survived Breast Cancer Makeover and Looks Amazing”!
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
