How long is recovery from TRAM flap?
For detailed information on how to care for the dressings, stitches, staples, and surgical drains, visit the Mastectomy: What to Expect pages. It can take about 6 to 8 weeks to recover from TRAM flap reconstruction surgery. Your doctor may recommend that you wear a compression girdle for up to 8 weeks after surgery.
What is a TRAM flap procedure?
A TRAM flap surgery involves moving a section of abdominal muscle along with fat and skin up to the chest. In this procedure, the relocated tissue isn’t cut off from its blood supply. The DIEP flap is more complicated because the new “breast tissue” is freed from the belly.
When should you have a double mastectomy?
A bilateral (double) mastectomy is the surgical removal of both breasts to treat or prevent breast cancer. In some cases, it is a necessary procedure—such as when an advanced cancer is found in both breasts simultaneously.
What is the difference between a TRAM flap and DIEP flap?
A DIEP flap is similar to a muscle-sparing free TRAM flap, except that no muscle is used to rebuild the breast. (A muscle-sparing free TRAM flap uses a small amount of muscle.) A DIEP flap is considered a muscle-sparing type of flap. DIEP stands for the deep inferior epigastric perforator artery, which runs through the abdomen.
What is the TRAM flap breast reconstruction technique?
TRAM Flap. A flap of this skin, fat, and all or part of the underlying rectus abdominus (“6-pack”) muscle are used to reconstruct the breast in a TRAM flap procedure. Overall, TRAM flaps are the most commonly performed type of flap reconstruction , partly because TRAM flap tissue is very similar to breast tissue and makes a good substitute.
What is a flat closure after mastectomy?
Flat closure after mastectomy. Aesthetic flat closure after mastectomy is contouring of the chest wall after mastectomy without traditional breast reconstruction. Vernacular synonyms and related vernacular and technical terms include “going flat”, “optimal flat closure”, “nonreconstructive mastectomy”, “oncoplastic mastectomy”, “non-skin sparing mastectomy”, “mastectomy without reconstruction”, and “aesthetic primary closure post-mastectomy”.