DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction: Case 30

Description

This is a 52 year old female with a history of left breast cancer, for which she underwent bilateral mastectomies and implant reconstruction by another plastic surgeon. She needed radiation therapy to the left breast. She developed left arm lymphedema and recurrent infections of the left breast. These infections needed to be treated multiple times with IV antibiotics in the hospital and with PICC lines (as seen in the preoperative photo). She decided to undergo removal of both implants to remove the foreign bodies which continued to get infected. Both breasts were then reconstructed with DIEP flaps at the same surgery. She has been free of infection since the DIEP flap breast reconstruction.