If you’ve been through breast cancer and had mastectomy as a result, there are ways to reconstruct your body to help restore your sense of self, your femininity, and your sexuality. The preferred Autologous Breast Reconstruction (using your own skin and tissue for the reconstruction) method for Dr. Jeremy Williams and Dr. Christopher Williams at The Breast Center Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery is the DIEP (Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator) Flap. The DIEP Flap takes a suitable amount of skin from your abdomen and transplants it to your chest to reconstruct your breast. The flap is reconnected to blood vessels and arteries using a surgical microscope and your abdomen . Unlike other flap procedures, the DIEP Flap procedure uses only skin and not the underlying muscles. In addition to the normal care your surgeons provide you and recommend for you during your post-surgery period, be aware that:
- You will be pretty much immobile for at least the first week following your surgery, if not the next two or three weeks
- You will be slower and weaker than normal
- You should have someone in your home (a spouse, partner, friend, in-home nurse, etc.) to assist you and to provide childcare if needed, perhaps 24-hours a day for the first week and during the day in the weeks following
- You should lean on your friends, not only for help around the house but also for emotional support or just to have someone to talk to
Deciding whether and when to undergo breast reconstruction is a deeply personal decision. The board-certified plastic surgeons and the experienced staff at The Breast Center – Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery are here to offer guidance and information as you make your decision. To schedule a consultation in Lone Tree, Colorado, please call us at ( 303) -706-1100.
