Surgical Procedure
The Latissimus muscle draws the shoulders and arms down and inward. It also provides internal rotation and extension of the arm allowing for rotation at the shoulder. A portion of this muscle is harvested from the back along with an ellipse of skin,fat and tissue with its own blood supply from vessels located in the axilla (underarm). The donor graft is then tunneled and rotated forward onto the chest to create a breast mound.
There will be 2 surgical scars with this procedure, one on the upper back and one on the chest. The operative time is approximately 3-4 hours and would require 2 days in hospital. This procedure is usually performed as an immediate reconstruction technique but is also available as a delayed option.
The nipple reconstruction will follow several months after the recovery from this procedure.
Finally, a tattoo of the aerola is performed to complete the reconstruction.
On occasion, a balancing procedure is performed on the unaffected breast to create greater symmetry. Typically, this involves a breast lift (mastopexy) or a reduction.
Potential Complications of Surgery
- infection
- bleeding
- seroma
- delayed wound healing
- circulation problems
- fat necrosis
- excessive scarring
- potential muscle shoulder weakness
- breast asymmetry
- DVT/PE
- Anesthetic issues