Breast reconstruction with deep inferior epigastric flap: State of the art and practical aspects

Abstract

Breast reconstruction with autogenous tissue is a standard technique and a well-established procedure in many advanced breast cancer centers. Among the technical alternatives, abdominal flaps have been selected as the option of choice to produce the most natural results [1]-[10]. In order to maintain blood supply to the skin and the subcutaneous tissue, part of one or both rectus abdominis muscles must be harvested in the myocutaneous flaps. Regardless of the cosmetic benefits, some questions have been raised concerning the rectus abdominis muscle resection [1]-[6]. In recent years, the progress in microsurgical technique as well as a better understanding of skin anatomy has proved that muscle tissue itself is not required as long as perforator vessels are preserved. Thus, the introduction of the concept of perforator flaps associated with the development of the deep inferior epigastric perforator flap (DIEP) has brought new modifications to the conventional abdominal flaps [1, 3, 5-10]. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.