The procedure uses harvested skin and fat cells from the abdomen, and our fellowship-trained plastic surgeon specializing in microsurgery transfers the living tissue as a free flap to the chest immediately after mastectomy, creating a natural-looking breast with its own blood supply.
There are several areas on the body where the tissue for the procedure may be taken including the abdomen, back or buttocks.
The procedure typically requires less follow-up care than artificial implants, and is available with mastectomy to treat cancer, as well as for patients who opt for preventive prophylactic mastectomy due to risk factors such as genetics and family history.