Before and after left DIEP flap breast reconstruction in a 67 year old breast cancer survivor who previously had a lumpectomy and intense radiation to her left breast. She had a hard, contracted and deformed left breast, a hanging and oversized right breast and an overabundance of lower abdominal skin and fat to work with!
She did not wish to have a completion mastectomy on the left, but she wanted better symmetry of her breasts and she did not want an implant. She was an ideal candidate for a DIEP flap.
A partial left breast reconstruction was performed using a DIEP flap. Skin and fat from her lower abdomen was microsurgically transplanted to add volume and softness to the left breast. Since she had more than enough abdominal tissue and only one breast was being reconstructed, nearly 2 kilograms (4 pounds) of excess fat was discarded!
A right breast lift helped to reshape the right breast. Follow up photos are shown 2 months after her second stage surgery, which involved free fat grafting and flap contouring using liposuction. Her breasts are much more symmetric, and her abdomen also greatly benefitted from this incredible surgery!
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
