Do You Recommend Breast Reconstruction Surgery Immediately Right After a Mastectomy in Obese Patients? I Am 258 Lbs., 5' 8".

Stomach is waayy out of shape. My BMI is 38.

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6 Doctor Answers | Asked by lindaastar

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Immediate Breast Reconstruction in Obese patients

The breast reconstruction expert in our practice prefers and performs immediate reconstruction using either the patient's own tissue or expanders/implants on all types of body habitus. Obesity alone isn't an absolute contraindication for her to perform immediate breast reconstruction on her patients. However, other medical conditions that tend to coexist with obesity: heart disease, diabetes, pulmonary disease, etc, may make an obese patient unable to tolerate longer surgery... more

Jay Calvert, MD

20 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Can obese patients have DIEP flaps?

Yes you can have breast reconstruction if you are obese. You should be seen aevaluated for your appropriateness for reconstruction. My preference would be for using your own tissue. In particular the DIEP flap from the lower abdomen has been used successfully. I use this flap especially in cases of obese patients and patients with a smoking history. Although there can be wound healing tissues I am more comfortable caring for them in patients without implants... more

Immediate Breast Reconstruction in Obese Patients?

This is a very difficult scenario that I have found myself in many times. It is very clear that obesity increases wound healing and other complications. I have had many patients do just fine even though they are obese but I have had many obese patients who have had wound healing problems as well. A part of this equation that nobody is talking about here is how good your general surgeon is as well. To a large degree this is a mutual relationship that a general surgeon and plastic surgeon need... more

Do You Recommend Breast Reconstruction Surgery Immediately Right After a Mastectomy in Obese Patients?

As has been stated previously, obesity increases the risk of surgery. I would not expect you to be a candidate for immediate autologous tissue reconstruction given your body habitus, but that would be a decision between yourself and your surgeon. Personally, I believe that there is some utility in your circumstance in trying to save as much native skin as possible after your mastectomy. Typically, there is an abundance of skin in this scenario, with a... more

Do You Recommend Breast Reconstruction Surgery Immediately Right After a Mastectomy in Obese Patients? I Am 258 Lbs., 5' 8".

Obesity is a risk factor.However you would need to be assessed at surgery.If you are left with healthy flaps , good intact muscle you could have expander reconstruction done .The expander could be left virtually empty so that there is no added stress to the incision. If tissues are not optimal I would simply perform a good closure and do delayed reconstruction several months later

Immediate Breast Reconstruction in Obese Patients

As a rule, I would usually recommend an immediate reconstruction over a delayed, but there are a couple of circumstances when I advise people to have a delayed reconstruction - and this is one of them. Breast reconstruction is a major undertaking and your risk of complications is higher with a higher BMI. My normal cut off for surgery is a BMI of 30, although I am flexible when it comes to an immediate reconstruction. Having said that, I... more