Breast reconstruction using back muscle transfer (Latissimus Dorsi flap)
Breast reconstruction using back muscle transfer involves moving a flap of muscle, fat and skin from your back to your chest, to form a new breast ‘mound’. There are different techniques for moving the ‘flap’ from your back to your chest. Ask your doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques.
Usually a saline implant is placed behind the new breast ‘mound’, to increase the size of your reconstructed breast and match the size of your other breast.
The implant is covered by the flap of muscle, fat and skin, and therefore looks and feels more natural than an implant-only reconstruction. The operation is much longer than the operation for reconstruction using an implant only.
What are the advantages of breast reconstruction using back muscle transfer?
The advantages of having a breast reconstruction using back muscle transfer (over other types of reconstruction) include:
- It produces a more natural breast ‘mound' than the implant reconstruction
- The breast ‘mound’ will change in size according to any weight gain or weight loss.
What are the disadvantages of breast reconstruction using back muscle transfer?
The disadvantages of having a breast reconstruction using back muscle transfer (over other types of reconstruction) include:
- You will have a scar on your back
- You could have a slight loss of arm strength, possibly affecting overhead reaching movements, such as swimming or hanging out the washing
- There is a small risk that the tissue that is moved to your breast may not ‘take’ (meaning that the tissue may die) if the blood supply isn’t adequate – if this happens, another operation will be needed
- Longer hospital and recovery periods (than with implant breast reconstruction) will be needed
- The operation may not be possible for you if you do not have enough tissue on your back.
Breast reconstruction using abdominal muscle transfer (TRAM flap)
Breast reconstruction using abdominal muscle transfer usually involves moving a flap of muscle, fat and skin from the abdomen (stomach) to the chest, to form a new breast ‘mound’. This is called a Transverse Rectus Abdominis Muscle flap, or TRAM flap.
There are different techniques for moving the ‘flap’ from your stomach to your chest. Ask your doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques.
What are the advantages of breast reconstruction using abdominal muscle transfer?
The advantages of having a breast reconstruction using abdominal muscle transfer (over other types of reconstruction) include:
- It produces the most natural breast ‘mound’
- The breast ‘mound’ will change in size according to any weight gain or weight loss.
- As this breast reconstruction technique involves having a ‘tummy tuck’, some women consider this an advantage.
What are the disadvantages of breast reconstruction using abdominal muscle transfer?
The disadvantages of having a breast reconstruction using abdominal muscle transfer (over other types of reconstruction) include:
- You may have a slight loss of strength in the muscles in your stomach
- You may be at risk of developing a hernia – if the wall of muscles on your stomach become weak, some tissue (from underneath the muscles) can poke through the wall where the muscles are weak, forming a lump between the muscle wall and the skin on your stomach
- There is a small risk that the tissue that is moved to your breast may not ‘take’ (meaning that the tissue may die) if the blood supply isn’t adequate – if this happens, another operation will be needed
- Longer hospital and recovery periods (than with implant breast reconstruction) will be needed
- You won’t be able to drive or lift objects for several weeks after the surgery
- The operation may not be possible for you, if you don’t have enough tissue on your stomach.
