PRMA Plastic Surgery is excited to announce we have completed a record breaking 74 free flap breast reconstruction procedures for the month of May! This makes PRMA one of very few breast reconstruction centers in the world to perform such a high number of flaps in one month.
“We are dedicated to rebuilding lives after breast cancer and doing so on such a large scale is a true testimony to the dedication and hard work of our team. It takes all of us to accomplish such a breakthrough milestone,” says Dr. Oscar Ochoa.
Free flap breast reconstruction represents today’s gold standard for reconstruction. Free flap procedures use skin, fat, and sometimes muscle from another area of the body to create a “natural,” warm, soft breast following a mastectomy. The most commonly performed free flap surgery at PRMA is the DIEP flap.
The DIEP flap uses the patient’s own abdominal skin and fat to reconstruct a natural, warm, soft breast after mastectomy. Unlike the more widely known TRAM flap, the DIEP preserves all the abdominal muscles. Only abdominal skin and fat are removed similar to a “tummy tuck“. Saving the abdominal muscles means patients experience less pain, enjoy a faster recovery, maintain their core strength long-term, and have a lower risk of complications.
PRMA Plastic Surgery routinely performs free flap breast reconstruction surgery for patients across the globe. To date, PRMA has performed over 7,500 free flap reconstructive breast surgeries with a success rate of over 99%.
Author: Dr. Oscar Ochoa and Courtney Floyd
We are dedicated to rebuilding lives after breast cancer and doing so on such a large scale is a true testimony to the dedication and hard work of our team. It takes all of us to accomplish such a breakthrough milestone.
Leave Comment
-
I’m so happy to have had the DIEP flap procedure on the same day I had my double mastectomy. I feel good and look good! Best of all I don’t have to worry about replacing implants. I was 63 when I had the surgery and didn’t want to have the possibility of additional surgery hanging over my head. I highly recommend PRMA.
July 21,2020
-
Thank you so much for your kind words Adele! We are so grateful for your health and happiness.
July 21,2020
-
Sign Up for Our Monthly Newsletter
Continue Reading
Breast Reconstruction Surgery and Your Period
Breast Reconstruction Surgery and Your Period December 02, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin During our pre-operative appointment with patients, a topic that occasionally arises is menstrual cycles. It is completely normal for women to experience changes with their periods throughout breast cancer treatments. These can be temporary or permanent. Periods can be unpredictable following […]
What Bras and Abdominal Girdles to Wear After Breast Reconstruction Surgery
What Bras and Abdominal Girdles to Wear After Breast Reconstruction Surgery November 17, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin When preparing for breast reconstruction surgery, many patients want to know what types of bras and abdominal girdles they should plan to wear after surgery. Although every surgeon has slightly different preferences, we have put together […]
My 5 DIEP Flap Realities | A Guest Blog From Julie
My 5 DIEP Flap Realities October 28, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hi everyone, my name is Julie from It’s a Bosom Thing. I am so happy to be here as a guest blogger and have this opportunity to share with you a few thoughts about life after DIEP Flap Surgery. I was diagnosed […]
PRMA’s BRA Day Virtual Event Recap
PRMA’s BRA Day Virtual Event Recap September 08, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yesterday we celebrated Breast Reconstruction Awareness day! Although we missed seeing everyone in person this year, we were still able to spread education and awareness on ALL reconstructive options through our virtual efforts. We were also able to share information on […]
Second Stage DIEP Flap Surgery
Second Stage DIEP Flap Surgery September 08, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin DIEP flap breast reconstruction is typically comprised of at least two stages for the best outcomes. The second stage of surgery is commonly referred to as the “revision” stage and is usually performed about three months after the initial reconstruction. The purpose […]
If ‘Flaps’ Are Such A Great Breast Reconstruction Option, Why Doesn’t Everyone Get Them?
If ‘Flaps’ Are Such A Great Breast Reconstruction Option, Why Doesn’t Everyone Get Them? September 08, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin Flap-based breast reconstruction procedures, like the DIEP flap, offer patients a safe, natural implant-alternative option to reconstruction after a mastectomy. Flap surgeries are permanent and are associated with fewer complications after radiation when […]
What is a Skin Island and How is it Used in Breast Reconstruction?
What is a Skin Island and How is it Used in Breast Reconstruction? September 08, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin What is a “skin island”? The term “skin island” is used to describe the remaining visible skin from a transplanted “flap” of tissue. In the setting of DIEP flap breast reconstruction, the skin island […]
Comparing APEX Flap and DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction
Comparing APEX Flap and DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction August 10, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin We have been receiving numerous inquiries about the “APEX flap” recently. Patients want to know what it is and how it differs from the DIEP flap. APEX is an acronym that stands for “Abdominal Perforator Exchange”. Many patients believe […]
Monitoring the Health of Your Flap During & After Surgery
Monitoring the Health of Your Flap During & After Surgery July 21, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin Autologous flap (or tissue) breast reconstruction procedures represent today’s most advanced options for rebuilding a breast(s) following mastectomy. The most commonly performed method of flap-based reconstruction at PRMA is the DIEP flap. During this procedure, surgeons transplant skin […]
COVID-19 and the Impact on Cancer Patient’s Mortality
COVID-19 and the Impact on Cancer Patient’s Mortality July 21, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin There is still so much we do not know about COVID-19. Likewise, there is little known about how this disease impacts mortality for cancer patients. A study published in The Lancet evaluated and characterized the outcomes of patients with cancer […]
Evaluation of Abdominal Muscle Size and Function after DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction
Driving Factors in Patient Breast Surgery Choices
Adele Murphy
I’m so happy to have had the DIEP flap procedure on the same day I had my double mastectomy. I feel good and look good! Best of all I don’t have to worry about replacing implants. I was 63 when I had the surgery and didn’t want to have the possibility of additional surgery hanging over my head. I highly recommend PRMA.
PRMA Plastic Surgery
Thank you so much for your kind words Adele! We are so grateful for your health and happiness.