by Dr. Michael Curtis, chief of the division of plastic surgery at Mercy Hospital St. Louis and section chief of plastic surgery for Mercy’s eastern Missouri region.
A breast cancer diagnosis can be life changing and bring with it many questions about next steps in treatment. For patients who choose mastectomy, there are still more options to consider for reconstruction – from implant-based reconstruction to techniques where the patient’s own tissue is used to create the breast.
Using a patient’s own tissue for reconstruction requires a high level of training and is not done at all hospitals. I have been performing and perfecting these surgeries on a regular basis at Mercy Hospital St. Louis for more than 14 years.
In most breast reconstruction cases, the lower abdominal tissue is used in a technique referred to as a Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator, or DIEP flap reconstruction. The medial thigh (TUG or PAP) or upper buttock (S-GAP) areas can also be utilized in breast reconstruction. Using a microsurgical technique, the chosen area is removed from the body and reconnected in the breast area. The flap tissue is soft and warm and feels like a natural breast.
The procedure takes about six to eight hours and requires a three-day hospital stay. In most cases, the recovery takes about six weeks. One point of consideration, compared to implant-based reconstruction, patients will not need follow-up surgeries for replacing the tissue.
For patients who are candidates for this type of procedure, it is a wonderful form of reconstruction that can be done at the time of the mastectomy or at any time after. It is covered by insurance under the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) of 1998.
Schedule an appointment to learn about this option of reconstruction and whether you are a candidate for this life-changing procedure.
