How do you know if your DIEP flap failed?
How do you know if your DIEP flap failed?
Some symptoms of necrosis of the tissue flap include your breast skin: turning blue or black. feeling cool to the touch. developing open wounds.
What happens if DIEP flap fails?
If this happens, you will need to have surgery to remove the flap. If your flap fails completely and is removed, you will need to recover fully from the operation. You usually have to wait about 6 to 12 months before you can try to have reconstruction again.
How long does it take for swelling to go down after DIEP flap surgery?
The majority of swelling will subside in 3-4 weeks, but some swelling may persist for up to 3 months. You will walk bent over and will slowly rise over the first 1-2 weeks.
Do you have feeling in your breast after DIEP flap surgery?
Sensory nerve repair at time of DIEP flap breast reconstruction may restore feeling after mastectomy. For patients undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer treatment, loosing feeling is a very common concern. During a mastectomy, nerves supplying the breast with feeling are severed causing loss of sensation.
How often do DIEP flaps fail?
Although flap failure rates are typically cited as 1% to 2%, there are few scenarios among reconstructive breast surgeons that are as devastating to patients and the health care team as a failed reconstruction.
Can a DIEP flap failure years later?
Summary. Flap neovascularisation is generally believed to make free skin-containing flaps independent of their axial pedicle blood supply. A case of DIEP-flap failure 3 years after transfer is presented in a breast reconstruction patient in whom a lateral breast reduction for symmetry improvement was performed.
How long after Diep will I feel better?
Your doctor will give you specific instructions to follow for your recovery. For detailed information on how to care for the dressings, stitches, staples, and surgical drains, visit the Mastectomy: What to Expect page. It can take about 6 to 8 weeks to recover from DIEP flap reconstruction surgery.
What is Phase 2 of DIEP Flap?
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 of the second stage of DIEP surgery is to fine-tune the reconstructed breast and improve the overall cosmetic results.
What do you wear after DIEP flap surgery?
We prefer you wait until you are 12 weeks post op to wear an underwire bra. Until that time, you may wear a post-surgical compression bra or a well-fitted sports bra.
