Before and after bilateral DIEP flap reconstruction in a 36 year old woman. She was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer and was treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery. She had ample tummy skin and fat to reconstruct her breasts.
Her goals were to be slightly smaller and lifted as part of her reconstruction results. We encourage ALL our patients to consider breast reconstruction as an “opportunity to make lemonade out of lemons” – breast reconstruction is and should be a “designer procedure”, where nearly any result is possible!
Her mastectomies were performed through a breast reduction pattern. DIEP flaps were performed at the same time to reconstruct her breasts. Her nipples and areolas were preserved and saved as free grafts, and reapplied to her reconstructions at the end of surgery in a higher position and a smaller diameter. Note the very low position of the abdominal donor site incision; it should appear just like a tummy tuck scar!
Follow up photos are shown at 6 months after surgery. She considered this procedure her “Mommy Makeover” as well as her breast cancer makeover. She required additional chemotherapy but did not need radiation therapy. She is busy being a full time Mom again to her three children and has moved on with her life!
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
