DIEP Flap Reconstruction with Implants

craftysandy

Hi! I met with my plastic surgeon today and have agreed to have the DIEP Flap reconstruction with implants immediately following a bi-lateral mastectomy. The implants are to bring me to a C cup, which I am currently. He feels I have enough abdominal fat to bring me to a B cup but will require implants behind the flap to get me to a C. The surgery will be performed at one of the top university hospitals in the country. I just can't seem to find much online regarding the combination of the DIEP Flap and implants. Has anyone had this particular reconstruction surgery performed and how did it go?

Moderators

Hi craftysandy, welcome to Breastcancer.org and thanks for posting your question. We hope you find somebody that can help soon. In the mean time, you may want to read what we have about Autologous or "Flap" Reconstruction in our main site.

When is your surgery? If you want, you can have your username added to the surgery list in the DIEP 2016 thread. We encourage you to join in on this thread too if you have something to ask or to say. Good luck!

The Mods

Moderators

Bumping for Craftysandy -- can anyone weigh in?

Faithful-n-blessed

I am having the same procedure on 3/10. There is not much at all on line and I haven't found anyone here that has had it.

Faithful-n-blessed

I'm getting my procedure at upenn btw.

besa

Right now it is not that active but I think there are woman who posted on the "NOLA in September" thread who have had implants with DIEP. The NOLA ps are able to add implants to flaps. I don't know if she is still using this site but try PMing " "momof5kids" I think she had implants added to a flap reconstruction.

Another source of information is Dr. DellaCroce's "Ask the Doctor" web site. The link below is to a question being about implants and flap recon.

http://members.boardhost.com/plastic/msg/143231020...

Also a place to post your own questions and have an experienced microvascular ps who can add implants to a DIEP respond.

http://members.boardhost.com/plastic/index-4.html

Faithful-n-blessed

Thank you besa sometime I feel like I'm putting to much trust in my ps. He seems very confident but acknowledged that he had not done the diep with implant often. He has done over a thousand diep reconstructions. I will be sure to check the sites you referenced but my surgery is in 2 days.

craftysandy

Starting to feel a little panic setting in. Although my Penn doctor has done over 1,000 DIEP procedures, I am still feeling a little anxious since I have not been able to talk to someone who has been through DIEP with immediate placement of implants, which is not widely performed. It would provide me with so much comfort to be able to have someone tell me that they went through it and were happy with the results. I suppose I can start my own thread and see if I get a response. My surgery is in 5 days so I'm not sure if I will get that comfort or not at this point. Wish me luck.... and please pray that I don't panic... I do trust my doctor but there's nothing like finding a kindred spirit that has been there and done that.

Honeybadger

Craftysandy & Faith-n-blessed, I wish I had information for you both. I have not completed my reconstruction and am wondering if a diep with implant may be an option for me too since the implant alone failed on my radiated side. If all went as planned, you both will have had your surgeries by now. I hope you will both let the bc.org community know how you are doing. I sincerely hope that you are both healing well and are happy with the results.