AlloDerm: Q&A
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I Have a Hernia Due to DIEP Surgery. Is Alloderm Safe for Hernia Repair?
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9 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
brcansurvivor
in Medford, OR
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Alloderm for hernia after DIEP
Soemtimes patients develop a bulge or weakness and not a true hernia over the lower abdomen when a DIEP is performed or a TRAM flap. Alldoerm is usually not strong enough for repairing this bulge.
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Dermal matrix for the abdomen after DIEP flap
Thank you for the question! I'm sorry to hear of this unfortunate event following your DIEP flap. Acellular dermal matrices (e.g., AlloMax, AlloDerm, FlexHD, etc.) are collagen sheets derived from human cadaveric donors, which have been treated to remove antigenic cells and such. While they have revolutionized breast reconstruction in particular, they have been used to treated hernias and bulges for the abdominal wall.
It is quite uncommon to develop a true...
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Breast reconstruction, nipple reconstruction, breast cancer, DCIS, mastectomy, TUG flap, DIEP flap, Latissimus flap, fat graft i
Alloderm is a safe product for hernia repair but is not ideal. There are several materials that can be used to perform repair of bulges which are typically what develops after surgery and a weakening in the fascia where the incision was made to follow the perforator and ultimately the blood vessels that would be hooked up to your chest later. I have seen these most common in bilateral DIEP flap cases but they can occur in unilateral cases. Each surgeon will manage...
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Austin Plastic Surgeon
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Hernia/Bulge after Flap reconstruction
Do you truly have a hernia or is it a bulge in your tummy area? I concur with my colleagues. AlloDerm does tend to stretch and its likely not the best option to correct a bulge or hernia. Rather a more firm product like Strattice (porcine product) would be more helpful to improve your tummy area
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Alloderm for Hernia Repair after DIEP flap
AlloDerm is made from human skin. It stretched approximately 30%, which makes it ideal for reconstruction with expanders. Unfortunately, this stretching is a drawback for hernia repair.
Strattice is made from pig skin that is treated so it is not rejected by the body. It doesn't stretch, so it is superior for hernia repair.
The first step is to have a true diagnosis of your bulge. It may just be from weakening of your abdominal wall caused by removing some of the nerve supply, or...
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Is Alloderm safe for hernia repair?
Alloderm is safe in repairing abdominal hernias, however, it is usually not the material of choice for most plastic surgeons today. This is because the properties of Alloderm that make it great for the breast (stretching and incorporation) make it a lesser choice for fixing hernias that really need to be tight and not stretch. There are many other products on the market now that would be better for your repair.
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Alloderm after DIEP
Alloderm is made for cadaver human skin. One important characterstic is that Alloderm stretches significantly with time. If Alloderm must be used we tend to use thicker pieces, or we just used a synthetic mesh.
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Strattice may be preferable to Alloderm for hernia repair
Both products are acellular dermis, meaning that they come from skin with the cells removed leaving the collagen matrix. This acts as a template for your own tissue to grow in. Alloderm works very well in the breast to support implants, but Strattice is stronger and less flexible so a good choice for hernias.
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Alloderm for hernia?
Alloderm has historically been used for hernia repair, but bulging following this repair is not infrequent. Thus, stronger materials are now more commonly chosen for hernia repair including various synthetic meshes. Alloderm is cadaveric dermis that is depleted of human cells and antigens, so it is not rejected by an immune response from the recipient. it serves as a scaffold that is incorporated with recipient cells, but it has limited strength. The abdominal wall is...
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