Before and after DIEP flap breast reconstruction in a 43 year old woman. She had an aggressive left breast cancer that was previously treated with non-nipple sparing mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Unfortunately, she lost her left implant placed for reconstruction due to infection. She waited a year for all post-infection edema (swelling) to resolve and sought a different type of breast reconstruction that used her own tissue. She had a previous right sided implant and lift that she wanted to match.
Skin and fat was microsurgically transplanted from her lower belly as a DIEP flap to reconstruct a breast on the left side. The final goal was for the left breast reconstruction to match her right augmented. A large flap was transplanted, which nearly matched the volume on the other side, but a sub-flap implant further improved the projection and provided the very best symmetry.
Three months after her DIEP flap, a silicone gel implant was placed beneath the left DIEP flap as a second stage outpatient procedure to create symmetry with her right side. Nipple and areola reconstruction was performed at the same time, together with some free fat grafting to further improve her abdominal donor site.
Early follow up photos are shown 6 weeks after nipple-areola reconstruction, placement of the implant under the DIEP flap and fat grafting, and nearly 5 months post-DIEP flap breast reconstruction.
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
