Description
This patient had multifocal right breast cancer plus a family history of the disease, so she underwent bilateral mastectomy and right chest radiotherapy. She then underwent delayed breast reconstruction with bilateral latissimus dorsi flaps. This operation involves taking skin and tissue from the back and moving it to the chest to rebuild the breast mound. She also had implants inserted into the chest to further increase the size of the reconstructed breasts. She required a second procedure to improve the scars on the breast mounds and back, which is not uncommon after this type of breast reconstruction. The postoperative photos were taken 10 months after surgery.
There are many ways to reconstruct breasts using a person’s own tissue. During the consultation Dr. Andrade discusses the typical options and their respective risks and benefits. In some cases the best option involves using microsurgery to transfer tissue from another part of the body to the chest (for example, a “DIEP” flap from the abdomen). Dr. Andrade does not do microsurgical breast reconstruction but can facilitate a referral to a surgeon who offers this procedure if necessary.
Please note that her nipple tattooing was done by a professional medical tattoo artist, not by Dr. Andrade.
Disclaimer: Similar results cannot be guaranteed since results vary from patient to patient.