DIEP 19

Age:                          41

Diagnosis:                Breast cancer

Radiation:                 No

Reconstruction:        Bilateral DIEP flaps

Timing:                      Delayed

Flap placement:       Subcutaneous

Opposite breast:      Bilateral DIEP flaps

Nipple:                      Local skin flaps and tattoo

Comment:                This is a ‘delayed’ reconstruction: it was performed long after the double mastectomy. In such cases, it necessary to use the abdominal skin to augment the breast skin. In ‘immediate’ reconstructions (performed at the same time as the mastectomy) this is not necessary and most of the DIEP flap is ‘buried’ beneath the native breast skin. There is usually less visible scarring in immediate reconstructions than in delayed ones like this