DIEP RECONSTRUCTION IN GREATER DEPTH
The tissue used for Diep breast reconstruction contains skin, fat and blood vessels. It is the same tissue area that is discarded in the classical cosmetic surgery procedure called the tummy tuck. The technical name for tummy tuck is abdominoplasty.
The area outlined in blue on the abdomen represents the amount of abdominal skin that typically is removed in DIEP flap breast reconstruction. The paired rectus abdominus muscles are illustrated in dark red.They are the muscles that give the abdomen strength and are the major generators of force in the sit-up. Their outlines are seen in physically fit individuals as a "six pack".
The blood vessels are pictured that supply ciruculation to the abdominal tissue. These vessels pierce throught the muscle. In a TRAM flap, the muscle is taken to avoid dissection of the vessels. In the Diep flap the muscle is operated on but not removed. A major advantage of the Diep flap is that it does not require loss of the rectus abdominus muscles. The tissue that is removed (called a flap), is then sculpted to make a breast and given new circulation at the chest.