THE PREFERRED BREAST RECONSTRUCTION & REVISION SPECIALIST OF BEVERLY HILLS
This is one of the newest technique of autologous tissue breast reconstruction utilizing skin and fat tissue from your inner thigh. It is called the Profunda Artery Perferator (PAP) Flap.
It was first described by Dr. Bob Allen in New Orleans as tissue taken from the buttock crease. In the past few years, the flap has evolved to tissue taken from the medial thigh. It is a great autologous tissue reconstruction option for patients who desires to have a complete organic breast reconstruction without the use of an implant and at the same time reduce the size of their inner thigh. It is very similar to a medial thigh lift procedure.
*Individual Results May Vary
Patient is a 69-year-old woman a mother of 2 who is active, healthy, and fit. Patient was diagnosed with right Breast cancer, low-grade DCIS, and fibroadenoma. She was a candidate for nipple-sparing mastectomy. The patient desires to be the same size breast and wants a total autologous tissue reconstruction. She does not want an implant. Her breast reconstruction journey included:
Surgery 1: Both breasts nipple sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with PAP flap – profunda artery perforator flaps – flaps taken from her thighs.
Pap flap breast reconstruction is ideal for patients who does not have enough tummy fat for a DIEP flap. Also, pap flap is a very good option in patients who have had a tummy tuck. Thus, the abdomen tissue is no longer available for reconstruction.
Normally, the pap flap procedure takes about 4 hours per breast. For bilateral Pap flap breast reconstruction, the surgery is about 7 to 8 hours. The patient stays in the hospital for 3 days.
Once the patient is discharge home, the recovery process is very smooth. Dr. Goldberg ask you to refrain from heavy lifting or pulling for 4 weeks. This allow for the incisions to heal. If a person has a desk job they may return to work as early as 2 weeks. In women with manual labor job, the person may return to work in 4 to 6 weeks.