In stacked flap reconstruction, two smaller tissue flaps are used to rebuild your breasts.
Stacked flap breast reconstruction is a technique employed for patients who have less tissue available at donor sites for natural tissue breast reconstruction. In stacked flap procedures, two tissue flaps are removed and “stacked” on top of each other to rebuild a single breast.
The most common donor sites for stacked flap procedures are the abdomen and the thigh. In the abdomen, a DIEP flap can be combined with either a DIEP flap from the other side to perform a single breast reconstruction, or each may be combined with a flap from the thigh to achieve two breast reconstruction (4 flaps in total). Two thigh flaps may also be stacked together to achieve enough volume for a single breast reconstruction.
For women who prefer to reconstruct their breasts using only natural tissue, but lack enough tissue to create a breast with a single flap, stacked flap breast reconstruction may be an excellent choice.
During your consultation, Dr. Smith will discuss your surgical options with you. Women who undergo stacked flap breast reconstruction tend to be thin without a lot of excess fatty tissue.
Alternatives to stacked flap procedures include implant breast reconstruction and hybrid breast reconstruction. However, both of those types of reconstruction do require synthetic implants to be placed inside a woman’s body.
You can expect the recovery to include some tightness and soreness at the surgical sites. Walking is encouraged after surgery but strenuous activity should be avoided for six weeks. Each surgical site will have at least one drain for a week or two, which you’ll need to care for and record the drain output. Range of motion exercises begin after the first week. After several weeks, as the initial discomfort fades, you should be able to return to normal activities. An important consideration for stacked flap procedures is that you may have more than one donor tissue surgical site.
I didn’t have to take any pain medicine. It was just amazing. . . I had this major surgery and was home the next day.
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I'm astonished. I am amazed at how Dr. Smith was able to create another breast for me from nothing.
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