Before and after DIEP flap breast reconstruction in a 48-year-old breast cancer survivor. She had significant scoliosis that accentuated her asymmetry after her non-skin sparing mastectomy. Her goal was to regain the former fullness of her breasts she had before having children.
A DIEP flap designed to use nearly her entire abdominal tissue reconstructed her left breast. An implant was placed beneath the right breast to augment its volume. One year later, her left nipple and areola were reconstructed using the nipple-sharing technique (free nipple graft) and medical tattoo.
Follow up photos are shown 6 months after nipple-areola reconstruction and a year and a half after her DIEP flap. She has lost a little weight after surgery which has resulted in a slight loss of her left breast volume.
Thankfully, her right breast implant is the adjustable permanent saline implant we use for reconstruction – it can be deflated to better match the other breast before the implant port is removed under local anesthesia.
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
