Four-flap breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure using tissue from your own body to reconstruct the breast after a mastectomy. This technique has gained popularity recently due to its ability to provide a natural-looking breast with minimal scarring. Two or more areas of tissue are used to make the breast reconstruction, making it an excellent option for women with massive weight loss who have excess skin in the abdomen and thigh or women whose abdomen has undergone liposuction, limiting the volume of that donor site.
What is Four Flap Breast Reconstruction?
Breast reconstruction restores a breast's shape, size, and appearance after a mastectomy. Four-flap breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure that utilizes four different flaps of tissue from the patient's body to create a new breast mound. The four flaps can be different combinations but generally use the combination of a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap and profunda artery perforator (PAP) flap.
The DIEP flap is the most commonly used in four-flap breast reconstruction. It involves taking skin and fat from the lower abdomen and transferring it to the chest to create a new breast mound. The PAP flap takes tissue from the inner and posterior thigh.
Benefits of Four-Flap Breast Reconstruction
While the procedure can be more time-consuming and technically demanding than other types of breast reconstruction, it offers several advantages. These include:
- Lower risk of donor site deformity due to too much tissue removal from one site
- The potential for improved aesthetic outcomes
One of the main benefits of four-flap breast reconstruction is that it provides a more natural-looking and feeling breast than other forms of reconstruction. Additionally, this technique can be used for women who have undergone radiation therapy, making other forms of reconstruction more difficult.
Some other examples of benefits include the following:
- Since the tissue used in this procedure is taken from the patient's own body, there is no risk of rejection or allergic reaction
- Using multiple flaps allows for more flexibility in creating a natural-looking breast that matches the patient's body shape and size
- It can often still be performed in patients who have previously undergone abdominal surgery; this can be determined by your surgeon
- The donor site may be improved in contour as it these sites are closed to mimic a tummy tuck or thigh lift to the extent possible
Procedure and Recovery
After four-flap breast reconstruction, expect to experience some pain and discomfort, which can be managed with prescribed medication. You may also experience swelling and bruising around the surgical site that will subside over time.
During recovery, you must wear a compression garment to help reduce swelling and avoid strenuous activities for several weeks. Dr. Zampell will discuss all post-op instructions with you at your consultation.
Why Choose Dr. Zampell for Four-Flap Reconstruction?
Dr. Zampell has the expertise and skill to perform complex, intricate microsurgery techniques that are mandatory for four-flap surgery. Her background in cosmetic and plastic surgery makes her the ideal choice because she also has an artist's eye for creating elegant, balanced results with maximum visual appeal.
After graduating from the Ohio State University College of Medicine, Dr. Zampell pursued an elite plastic surgery residency at New York University, followed by a challenging fellowship in the complex field of microsurgery at the University of California Los Angeles.
At Ochsner Medical Center in Louisiana, Dr. Zampell partnered with Dr. Robert Allen, a visionary in the field of autologous breast reconstruction. Dr. Allen originally described many perforator-free flap reconstructions, including the DIEP and SIEA flap—techniques that avoid injury to abdominal musculature and reduce donor site complications. Dr. Zampell adopted these techniques and innovations in flap reconstruction to provide some of the most natural breast reconstructions Beverly Hills offers.
Contact us today to learn more about four-flap reconstruction.
