Case-4793 Gallery

Before and after left breast DIEP flap reconstruction and a right breast lift in a 39 year old woman with breast cancer. She had previously had a lumpectomy with positive margins and required a completion mastectomy.

She had enough abdominal tissue for an autogenous (autologous, meaning using the body’s own tissue) reconstruction on one side. She did not require a mastectomy on the other side and she was thrilled she could combine her breast reconstruction with making her tummy flatter, something she had been wishing for, for years after having children!

A mastectomy was planned on the left via a breast lift approach. Her left breast was reconstructed using a deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap. The left nipple and areola was preserved as a free graft and reapplied to the left breast reconstruction in a higher position, as for a breast lift.

A right breast lift and small reduction was performed at the same operation. Follow up photos are shown a year after surgery. She has mild post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation of her scars, which is common in dark-skinned patients. She loves her flat belly and feels like she has a Mommy Makeover!