Before and after bilateral delayed breast reconstruction with DIEP flaps in a 59-year-old breast cancer survivor. She had previously undergone bilateral non-nipple-sparing mastectomies, chemotherapy and right chest wall radiation for breast cancer.
She was never offered breast reconstruction since she was “too fat.” She lived with the deformity you see for a decade before she learned about using her own abdominal tissue for breast reconstruction.
She was an ideal candidate for free flap breast reconstruction since the radiated tissue would increase the risk of complications if implants were used. Skin and fat were microsurgically transplanted from her lower abdomen to her chest as DIEP flaps.
She underwent a second-stage procedure one year later where the local flap technique was used to create nipple prominences and medical tattoo created two new areolar circles.
Follow up photos are shown 3 years after surgery. Note that she has lost weight after surgery, thanks to an understandably improved body image and the ability to exercise more easily with less abdominal fat. Her scars are mature, she feels proportional to the rest of her body and she has a new lease on life!
She is a candidate for areolar tattoo touchup by a paramedical tattoo artist to further improve the appearance of her nipple-areolar reconstructions.
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
