Who is eligible for DIEP flap surgery?
You are a candidate for a DIEP flap reconstruction if the amount of fat you have on your lower abdomen is sufficient to reconstruct one or both breasts to the desired volume.
Is DIEP flap surgery covered by insurance?
YES! The Women’s Health and Cancer Right Act, signed in 1998, is a federal law that mandates coverage for breast cancer care. This includes: Reconstruction of the breast removed by mastectomy with a breast implant or a DIEP flap.
How successful is DIEP flap reconstruction?
Tessler comments, “The overall success rate in our older DIEP flap cases was 96.3 percent – only marginally lower than the 99.6 percent rate in our younger cases.” Breast cancer is primarily a disease of older women: the median age at diagnosis is 62 years, and more than 40 percent of patients are 65 or older.
Do you get a tummy tuck with DIEP flap?
Gallbladder surgery, appendectomy, tubal ligations, and other common abdominal surgeries rarely affect a patient’s candidacy for the DIEP flap procedure. Tummy tucks (abdominoplasties) are the only surgery that precludes DIEP flap surgery.
Do you lose weight after a DIEP flap?
That means you won’t lose strength in your belly. And your recovery should be less painful than some other flap surgeries. Because DIEP surgery uses natural tissue, your new breast should change with your body. If you gain or lose weight, for example, you’ll see those changes in the breast, too.
Do you need expanders for DIEP flap?
If you’re a candidate for a DIEP flap, you may have reconstructive breast surgery at the time of your mastectomy or months to many years later. More and more women are opting to have immediate breast reconstructive surgery. In some cases you will need a tissue expander to make room for the new tissue.
How often do DIEP flaps fail?
Although flap failure rates are typically cited as 1% to 2%, there are few scenarios among reconstructive breast surgeons that are as devastating to patients and the health care team as a failed reconstruction.
What to expect after DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery?
Reconstruction does not restore normal feeling to your breast,but some feeling may return over a period of years.
Should you lose weight before DIEP flap reconstruction?
That means you won’t lose strength in your belly. And your recovery should be less painful than some other flap surgeries. Because DIEP surgery uses natural tissue, your new breast should change with your body. If you gain or lose weight, for example, you’ll see those changes in the breast, too.
How long does DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery take?
DIEP flap reconstruction surgery takes about 6 to 8 hours. After DIEP flap reconstruction surgery: You’ll be moved to the recovery room after surgery, where hospital staff members will monitor your heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure. If you’re in pain or feel nauseated from the anesthesia, tell someone so you can be given medication.
What is a Diep procedure?
What is a DIEP Flap procedure? DIEP stands for Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator. DIEP flap breast reconstruction is an operation that uses your own fat and skin from the abdomen to make a breast mound. It can be done immediately following mastectomy (immediate reconstruction) or at a later date (delayed reconstruction).