Fears of reconstruction using latissimus dorsi

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Debe772
Debe772 Member Posts: 11
edited September 2015 in Breast Reconstruction
  • I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014. Had a double mastectomy June 2014. Suffered from blood vessel damage that led to bruised and thinner skin on my right side. Had my exchange surgery October 2014. Within weeks My breast implant, on the right, started to fold. Decided on fat grafting to fill the crease. Had that In February 2015. Within two weeks of the grafting ,my right breast dropped down and pushed out to the right. PS felt the mesh tissue did not hold. Decided on amother reconstruction of the right. That was done June 2015. Well 4 weeks in, it bottomed out again. My left is a 425 tear drop, but at the time of surgery my PS put in a 375 round on my right. Now my right is bigger than my left. It's not something I can hide.

I recently went for a second opinion. PS agrees that we need to use my lat muscle ,because it is living tissue. There was a lot of damage to my right breast after my mastectomy, that it weakened my muscle. Using the latissimus dorsi ,with an implant,will give it full support and eliminate the chances of drooping.

My fear is I am very active. I lift weights. I am going to school to be a personal trainer. I've read that you will only be affected by the removal of the latissimus muscle if you are an avid rower or play golf, but it's a big muscle. Will I be able to live an active life style and stay in shape? It will only be done on one side.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited August 2015

    Dear Debe772,

    Welcome to the BCO community. We hope that you will find information, support and the shared experiences of others here on the discussion boards. While you are waiting for some responses here is a link to information on our site about Latissimus Dorsi. Stay connected and keep us posted. The Mods

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  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 723
    edited September 2015

    lat. dorsi flap is an older surgery. Not sure what you need in your siftuation. But, i would get opinions from several board certified PS who have had success w. bottoming out

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  • Debe772
    Debe772 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2015

    thank you for your response. I had damage during my mastectomy and lost blood flow on my right side . You are warned there could be Nipple or skin damage, but the risk is low. I suffered from it on my right Nipple and area below. This caused my right Nipple to become much smaller and my skin to be black and bruised several weeks. It thinned my skin. I had been told that I was lucky I didn't need skin grafts. Unfortunately there was weakness in the muscle ad well. Any tissue they try to use in Reconstruction will eventually fail because the muscle is not strong enough to support it. That's why they suggest using a living tissue like my latissimus

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited September 2015

    Debe, perhaps the Autologus Reconstruction section from the main Breastcancer.org site would be helpful for you to look through -- there are lots of newer "flap" surgeries that may be good options for you!

    We hope this helps!

    --The Mods

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  • gabriellaM
    gabriellaM Member Posts: 44
    edited September 2015

    I had b/l lat flap reconstruction in March 2013 and had a very good outcome (in fact, I haven't been on these boards in ages -- life can move on!). I know there are many people who have had problems after lat flap surgery but there are also those of us for whom it went well. I had little pain and a smooth recovery -- back to work in 2 months and exercising as well. I am about to compete in my first triathlon in two weeks and have done a lot of swimming since my surgery! My breasts look very good (I actually came back to this site to read up on nipple reconstruction/nipple tattoos -- I think I'm ready to take this final step). I never had radiation but had lat flap surgery because I wanted a one step procedure (no tissue expanders) and didn't have enough abdominal fat for DIEP. I couldn't travel to one of the few places that might have been able to use hip or butt fat to create a new breast and I was told that lat flap would look more natural that plain implants (also I really wanted to be done after a single surgery). My breasts do look natural although they feel much firmer than real breasts. On the other hand, i never have to wear a bra! Hope that perspective helps, and good luck with your decision.

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  • Debe772
    Debe772 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2015

    Gabriella..thank you for your response. I've been told that I may love the way the right breast looks that I will want my left side to look the same. I just want to be close to done already with my surgeries. If this can help get me there, I will take the chance. I know after breast reconstruction we are not going to look like ourselves or have perfect, but I would like my breasts to closely match. My right falls an inch lower than my left and goes over to the right plus it pushes out and looks a cup size bigger. .so it's mispositioned. Can't hide that in a bra or under clothes. Plus it is down right uncomfortable.

    Glad to hear you love your surgery choice and that it hasn't held you back physically. All things take time . The one thing I learned is my body has certainly adapted. I appreciate your thoughts. That was very helpful

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  • carolynm2000
    carolynm2000 Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2015

    I lat flap surgery on both sides 3/19/15. Beginning with expanders, and then exchanged for implants 7/6/15. I am very active as well, work out 5 days a week. Overall, I feel pretty good, and am able to work out almost as much as before. I do have some soreness on my right side though, where the lat muscle was pulled through (underneath) the arm. Not really pain, but some discomfort at times. More like a constant reminder that something happened. Also, my skin was extremely thin, so my implants have dropped fairly quickly, and I wear a bra 24/7. I'd say that I look good and feel good, but I think I was in such denial, that I had convinced myself I was just getting a boob job. Reconstruction does not the yield same results as augmentation. At least in my case. Props to both my breast surgeon and my plastic surgeon though, they did a wonderful job!

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  • Debe772
    Debe772 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2015

    carolynm2000 .... if you don't mind me asking, when you say dropped..is it extreme or just natural? I was told the lat surgery would help with the drop I've had. My right side is extremely lower than my left without the lat surgery. I will only need to get my right side done.

    Also..why do you wear a bra 24/7? Discomfort? Thank you for the workout info. It's a important part to me, but I know I can always get other muscle's to work sound what I miss in my lat

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  • Lily55
    Lily55 Member Posts: 3,534
    edited September 2015

    My physical therapist says lat dorsi increases risk of twisting in upper back and has patients who have experienced this as it destabilisesthe area as it is such a big muscle and ther is a domino effect........

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