Using tummy tissue to reconstruct the breast after breast cancer surgery

One of the best ways of reconstructing the breast following the removal of breast tissue with breast cancer is by removing tissue from your tummy.

The tissue removed lies underneath the tummy button down to the fold above your pubic skin area. Most women do have some excess tissue in this region, specifically if they had children and their tummy had been stretched during pregnancy.

This tissue can be transferred whilst remaining attached to the body, having its blood supply preserved. This blood supply is preserved in a rigid tissue which plastic surgeons call a pedicle. This bridge of tissue runs upwards toward your rib cage and allows the tummy skin  to rotate up to your breast region.

This technique is reliable and relatively straightforward, but does have the disadvantage in that because the breast tissue remains attached the surgeon has less flexibility on exactly where the breast tissue is placed on the chest to reconstruct the breast.