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Breast Evaluation and Treatment Program

Not All Breast Reconstruction Is The Same

Many women simply assume that following a mastectomy, if they pursue breast reconstruction, implants remain the only tried-and-true option. At the University of Maryland Medical Center, surgeons offer state-of-the-art microvascular breast reconstruction called Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap, or DIEP Flap.

"Breast reconstruction is broken down into two general categories: implant reconstruction and autologous reconstruction, such as DIEP Flap, where tissues from a woman's own body are used to create a breast," explains plastic surgeon Devinder Singh, M.D., an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

"The DIEP Flap surgery is a lengthy and complex operation where we completely remove fat and skin from the abdomen. That tissue is then moved to the chest area where, under a microscope, we reconnect the blood supply to the tissue and ultimately create a new breast," says Dr. Singh.

"The mastectomy site is replaced with skin and soft tissue from the abdomen following an incision similar to a tummy tuck. This operation can typically take place at the same time as the mastectomy, so a woman is under anesthesia just once," says Eduardo D. Rodriguez, M.D., D.D.S., associate professor of surgery and Chief of Plastic Surgery at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.

Whatever type of reconstruction a woman chooses, there will be a range of advantages and disadvantages. Unlike an implant, the DIEP Flap uses a woman's own tissue, so there is no foreign material in the body. But, the DIEP Flap requires a second incision, and patients need to be in the hospital for about 4 or 5 days to ensure that the tissue reconnection and blood flow is successful.

"The DIEP Flap is technically challenging, so not many hospitals offer this type of reconstruction. At the University of Maryland, plastic surgeons collaborate with the oncology team so that there is a true multidisciplinary approach to care when treating a woman with breast cancer," adds Dr. Singh.

The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center was recently named a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center, and was also recently listed among the top 50 cancer centers in the U.S. by U.S. News and World Report.

This page was last updated on: September 22, 2010.

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