DIEP Flap

Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap

This type of reconstruction procedure replaces the skin and soft tissue removed during a mastectomy with warm, soft, fat and skin from the abdomen to form the breast. The incision is made along the bikini line, similar to the incision done during a tummy tuck. The use of this refined perforator flap technique allows us to collect this tissue without sacrificing the underlying abdominal muscles. This tissue is then transformed into a breast mound. The abdomen is the ideal and most common donor site due to its excess supply of fat and skin. This procedure also improves the contour of the abdomen. The second stage of the breast reconstruction process is recreation of the nipple, and this is followed by areola pigmentation.

http://www.diepflap.com/pdfs/natural_option.pdf