If you have recently undergone a mastectomy or one is scheduled in the near future, then you are probably wondering what you can do to restore the appearance of your chest once the tissue has been removed. There are many different surgical options that can transform the appearance of the chest after a mastectomy, but you might want to take a closer look at the SIEA flap breast reconstruction procedure. That advanced operation is extremely safe and has a very high success rate. It might be exactly what you need to maintain your confidence after having a mastectomy carried out.
In This Article
Why Choose the SIEA Flap Reconstruction Procedure?
There are many different breast reconstruction operations to choose from, but some of them aren’t going to produce natural results. With other treatments, you might also have to alter the opposite breast, and that is an additional complication that some patients would like to avoid. As you can see from the breast reconstruction before and after gallery, the results of this procedure can be astounding. Your own skin is going to be used to restore the breast, and that means the tone is going to be nearly identical to the opposite breast. As an added bonus, a small amount of tissue is also going to be removed from the abdominal area, and that can create a flatter stomach.
Your Multi-Step Procedure
This unique procedure is usually carried out over the course of two or three steps depending on the patient’s health and cosmetic goals. If you are having a mastectomy carried out in the near future, then you might want to have the first stage of this procedure completed at the same time. Placing a temporary tissue expander just under the skin during the initial operation will make the follow-up procedures much easier. To harvest the skin, the surgeon will essentially carry out a small tummy tuck. That stage of the operation can typically be completed in just a few hours, and no damage will be done to the underlying abdominal muscles.
Once the donor tissue has been harvested, it will then be used to reconstruct the breast that the mastectomy was carried out on. When the entire operation is carried out at once, it typically takes between four and six hours. Following the procedure, you should plan on staying in the hospital for three or four days. After you have been discharged from the hospital, strenuous activities must be avoided for at least six weeks. In some cases, further alterations will be made a few months down the line if the patient would like to create a nipple or alter the placement of the soft tissue. You also have the option of placing an implant below the tissue in a follow-up procedure.
Ideal Candidate for the SIEA Procedure
The best way to learn more about the benefits of this procedure is to schedule an initial consultation with an experienced surgeon. Taking a look at the breast reconstruction before and after gallery is a great start, but your surgeon will be able to further explain the nuances of this procedure. As a general rule, the SIEA flap breast reconstruction procedure is a good option for relatively healthy adults who would like a natural-looking breast after undergoing a full or partial mastectomy. It is also important that you have at least some extra abdominal tissue that can be harvested. If you are particularly thin or have previously undergone abdominoplasty, then you might need to consider other reconstructive options.
