Before and after bilateral nipple-sparing mastectomies and immediate reconstruction with DIEP flaps in a 47-year-old woman with breast cancer. Her left breast required a mastectomy, and she chose to have a prophylactic mastectomy on the right at the same time.
She was a candidate for implant-based reconstruction, but she chose to use her body’s own tissue. Her reconstructive goal was to be slightly fuller and lifted than her preoperative breast size and shape.
Skin and fat were microvascularly transplanted from her lower abdomen to her chest by disconnecting and then reconnecting one tiny artery and two tiny veins under the microscope, sewing them back together by hand. Her nipples and areolas were saved a free grafts and reapplied to her breast reconstructions after performing a breast lift skin closure.
Six months later, she under went liposuction and free fat grafting to her flaps to add even more volume and fullness to her breast reconstructions.
Follow up photos are shown 10 months after surgery. Her scars are fading, and she is very happy with her reconstruction choice – which serves also as her Mommy Makeover!
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
