DIEP Flaps
DIEP Flaps to Restore Patients’ Lost Breasts
Breast construction restores a patient’s silhouette after a mastectomy removes one or both of their breasts. The Associates A Plastic Surgery Group provides this procedure to patients in and around Amarillo, TX, with DIEP flaps as one of our options. After losing your breast tissue due to treating cancer, the impact can be more than physical. Your self-image and other psychological factors can experience a shock and suffer from one or both breasts missing. Our caring surgeons and staff understand how beneficial restoring your body can be to help you feel whole again and regain confidence and peace of mind. DIEP flap surgery is a complex and effective method of rebuilding the lost tissue by taking a section from another part of your body.
How DIEP Flap Surgery Works
Deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap is a newer procedure similar to another flap option called msTRAM flap. With a transverse rectus abdominis muscle (TRAM) flap, a surgeon removes muscle and other tissue from your abdomen. In DIEP flap, we only remove skin and fat from a patient’s abdomen to complete the procedure. Most of a patient’s muscle is left in place, except for a minimal amount of muscle tissue we use to form a new breast mound. Through microsurgery or surgery using a microscope, we reattach the blood vessels. One major advantage to DIEP flap for your breast reconstruction is it helps you retain more strength in your abdomen. Our surgeons will evaluate you, your condition, and any related medical information to determine whether this type of procedure is an option for you.
Benefits of DIEP Flaps Over Breast Implants
There are many reasons to choose DIEP flaps for breast reconstruction at The Associates A Plastic Surgery Group. Some common examples of their benefits over implants include the following:
- New breasts from DIEP flap surgery look and feel natural. You get a soft and warm feel from abdominal tissue that feels very close to your natural breasts.
- Many women do not like the look and feel of implants and experience back and shoulder pain from muscles being pulled. Radiation can result in implant hardening, scarring, or displacing.
- With DIEP flaps, you will not need additional surgery in the future. This procedure has lifelong efficacy in restoring your figure with new tissue.
- Close to 35% of implant breast reconstructions fail when they are exposed to radiation, and your body may reject the implants since they are foreign bodies. DIEP flaps use your natural tissue, so the risks drop significantly.
Caring for Patients in Amarillo, TX & Surrounding Areas
The cosmetic and reconstructive surgery specialists at The Associates A Plastic Surgery Group are ready to reconstruct your breasts using DIEP flaps. Let our caring doctors and staff provide exceptional service and impressive results to restore your body.