Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction With Perforator Flaps

So what are "perforator flaps"?

Pioneered in the early 1990's, perforator flap breast reconstruction represents the state of the art in breast reconstruction surgery after mastectomy. The tissue removed at the time of mastectomy may be replaced with the patient's own warm, soft, living tissue to recreate a "natural" breast.

Skin, fatty tissue, and the tiny blood vessels that supply nutrients to the tissue ("perforators") can be taken from the patient's abdomen (SIEA flap and DIEP flap procedures) or buttocks (GAP flap procedure).

Unlike conventional tissue reconstruction techniques (like the TRAM flap), these microsurgical perforator flap techniques carefully preserve the patient's underlying musculature. The tissue is then transplanted to the patient's chest and reconnected using microsurgery.

Preserving underlying muscles lessens postoperative discomfort making the recovery easier and shorter, and also enables the patient to maintain muscle strength long-term. This is particularly important for active women.

While microsurgical breast reconstruction offers many advantages to the patient, the surgeries are very complex and time-consuming and specialized training is required. Our surgeons perform of hundreds of microsurgical breast procedures per year making PRMA Plastic Surgery one of the busiest breast reconstruction centers in and beyond the USA.

To learn more about each of the perforator flap techniques offered at PRMA please click on the following links:

DIEP flap
SIEA flap
GAP flap

******

Dr Chrysopoulo is board certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and specializes in breast reconstruction surgery after mastectomy for breast cancer. He and his partners at PRMA Plastic Surgery perform hundreds of microsurgical breast reconstructions with perforator flaps each year. To schedule a consultation, please call Toll Free on (800) 692-5565.

******