When you’re exploring your options for breast reconstruction, you might feel conflicted between choosing a flap procedure or implants. Your experience is personal, and your decision should be based on what feels right for your body and your life.Â
At The Breast Center in Lone Tree and Denver, Colorado, Dr. Christopher G. Williams and Dr. Jeremy Z. Williams offer an advanced option called hybrid breast reconstruction that can give you the best of both worlds.
What Is Hybrid Breast Reconstruction?
Hybrid breast reconstruction combines flap surgery with an implant to rebuild the breast. It’s a flexible option that allows us to use your own tissue for softness, while shaping the final result with an implant when more volume or symmetry is needed.Â
This method is especially helpful for women with limited donor tissue or those looking for a more contoured outcome. It’s highly personalized, and our surgeons will work closely with you to create a reconstruction plan that aligns with your goals.
The Techniques Behind Hybrid Reconstruction
By combining flap reconstruction and implants, we’re able to offer results that feel more natural and give you better control over volume and shape. Here’s how the procedure works:
Using Your Own Tissue
We typically begin with flap reconstruction. Our preferred method is the DIEP flap, which uses skin and fat from the lower abdomen (without taking any muscle) to rebuild the breast. This technique preserves core strength and often gives you the bonus of a flatter midsection.
If the DIEP flap isn’t the right fit, we may consider other options, including:
- SGAP flap, using tissue from the upper buttocks
- TUG flap, from the inner thigh
- Latissimus dorsi flap, which includes skin, fat, and part of the back muscle
These flaps provide a soft, living foundation for the breast. They move with your body and feel natural.
Adding an Implant
Once the flap is in place, an implant can be added to increase volume, shape, or symmetry. In many cases, the implant is placed during the same procedure as the flap reconstruction. However, it can also be added in a later stage.
Most of our patients choose silicone gel implants for their realistic feel. Saline implants are also available, and we’ll talk through both options during your consultation.
Why Some Women Choose a Hybrid Approach
Choosing breast reconstruction is deeply personal. Some women prefer to avoid implants altogether. Others may not have enough tissue for a flap-only procedure. For many, a hybrid approach strikes a balance.
Here are a few reasons hybrid reconstruction might be worth considering:
- Improved fullness and symmetry, especially if only one breast is being reconstructed
- More natural appearance and feel, compared to implants alone
- Added shape support that can help over time
- Aesthetic flexibility, allowing your surgeon to adjust size and contour more precisely
Your reasons are your own. This procedure is about giving you more options and more ways to feel like yourself again.
Meet Your Surgeons
Dr. Christopher G. Williams and Dr. Jeremy Z. Williams are both board-certified plastic surgeons with specialized training in microsurgical reconstruction. They trained at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and have years of experience helping women navigate breast reconstruction with compassion.
Dr. Chris Williams brings a background in psychobiology, advanced microsurgery, and research in tissue engineering. His approach is rooted in both science and empathy. Dr. Jeremy Williams is known for his thoughtful bedside manner and commitment to natural-looking outcomes. He has published extensively on plastic and reconstructive surgery and serves as Medical Director at Park Meadows Outpatient Surgery.
Both doctors work side by side at The Breast Center in Lone Tree, CO. Their goal is to support you not just through surgery, but through the whole experience of healing.
FAQs About Hybrid Breast Reconstruction
In many cases, yes. Using your own tissue can help protect the implant in an area affected by radiation. Your doctor will evaluate whether this is the best route for you.
You’ll talk through all of your options during your consultation. Most patients prefer silicone implants for their feel and natural movement, but both saline and silicone can work well.
That’s completely okay. You don’t need to make that decision alone. Your surgeon will walk you through every option and support whatever feels most comfortable to you.
Schedule Your Consultation
You deserve answers, choices, and care that puts you first. If you’re thinking about breast reconstruction and want to learn more about hybrid techniques, we invite you to meet with Dr. Chris Williams or Dr. Jeremy Williams. You can explore which options feel right for you and your body.
Call 303-706-1100 to schedule your consultation at The Breast Center in Lone Tree, Colorado.