Tissue expanders are devices used to stretch the skin and muscle in preparation for permanent breast implants. Implants, either silicone or saline, are used to rebuild the breast mound. Predicled flaps involve moving tissue from one area of the body to the chest to reconstruct the breast, maintaining its blood supply through an intact blood vessel.
Predicled Flaps
Majority of pedicled flaps classically utilized in breast reconstruction are the latissimus dorsi (from back) or rectus abdominus (from abdomen). A flap is tissue preserved on its blood supply. In pedicled flaps, the blood supply is not disrupted and reestablished. The disadvantage of the commonly used pedicled flaps are related to donor site when rectus abdominus is used and partial flap loss. Disadvantages of latissimus dorsi flap is mild weakness in arm flexion (or downward force) and this flap generally does not have ample tissue to recreate an adequate breast mound by itself.
- Muscle
- Latissimus Dorsi Flap
- TRAM Flap
- Muscle sparing
- Muscle Sparing TRAM Flap