Mastectomy, Breast Reconstruction with Tummy Tuck?

There are many different reconstructive options for breast cancer. For patients that are interested in removing abdominal tissue you should talk to your surgeon about using that tissue to reconstruct your breasts. You can get excellent long term results with a very natural looking breast (most would agree more natural than implants) and get the abdominoplasty at the same time.
You should speak to a board certified plastic surgeon who performs all types of breast reconstruction.
In your case I would consider options like a pedicled TRAM or a free TRAM.
Unless you and your surgeon have specific reasons for wanting to use an implant for reconstruction (sometimes size of the reconstructed breast can be a consideration) the above options definitely should be discussed.
Call your doctor!
I hope this helps.
Steven Williams, MD

Thank you for your question regarding whether you can have a tummy tuck at the same time as your prophylactic mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction. The short answer is yes, it is possible to combine these procedures, but it depends on a few factors.

Since you're BRCA-positive and undergoing a prophylactic mastectomy, your primary focus will be on ensuring that your breast reconstruction is performed safely and effectively. Combining a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) with your reconstruction is not uncommon and can be done safely in many cases, especially since you're in excellent health and at a normal weight.

In fact, many women choose to combine abdominal surgery, such as a tummy tuck or DIEP flap reconstruction, with their mastectomy. This can help address issues like lumpy results from prior liposuction or scar revision from previous surgeries, such as your appendectomy scar.

However, the decision to combine surgeries will depend on:

Length of the procedure: Combining two major surgeries could lengthen the operative time, and your surgeon will assess whether it is safe to do both at once.
Recovery time: Recovering from a mastectomy and breast reconstruction already requires significant healing time, and adding a tummy tuck may extend that recovery period.
Your overall health: Since you're in good health, this is a positive factor, but your surgeon will still evaluate if you're a good candidate for both surgeries at the same time.
I recommend discussing this with your plastic surgeon and breast surgeon to ensure that combining these procedures is a safe option for you. It can be a great way to achieve both functional and aesthetic improvements with one surgery and recovery period.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Thank you for your question.Yes, it is possible to have those procedure at the same time. But first, for safety reasons, to be a good candidate for the procedures you want at the same time, your labs and  cardiovascular preoperative evaluation must be optimal.
Kind Regards,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-

Thank you for your question. A tummy tuck can be combined with alloderm/implant-based breast reconstruction.  It is a bigger procedure and may often require a night in the hospital. I would consult with a board certified plastic surgeon in your area to discuss your options in more detail, review if there are any medical reasons to stage the procedure. If they deem you are healthy to have have the combined procedure, then you will only have one recovery.

It makes a lot of sense to combine the prophylactic mastectomy and tummy tuck procedures at the same time. Typically I would perform this surgery simultaneous while your mastectomy is being performed by a separate surgeon. This dramatically decreases the operative time, plus you also recover from both procedures at the same time.

As long as you're cleared by your internist for the surgery, you should be okay getting both the breast reconstruction and the tummy tuck at the same time.

This sounds like a combination that would be reasonable. Probably the primary concerns are the risk for DVT with PE and your surgeon will likely utilize common prophylactic measures to minimize this possibility.

Although it would be possible to have a tummy tuck at the same time as your mastectomies and implant reconstruction, it sounds like too much surgery in one setting. The good news is that, even patients who have excellent immediate reconstruction will require some type of minor secondary breast revision surgery about 6-12 months after the first operation. That would be a great time to have your abdominoplasty.

I agree with many of the central concepts written by the surgeons above. Breast reconstruction with implants following prophylactic mastectomy is usually a straight forward procedure with few complications, however, problems may arise that may not be readily apparent during surgery or even in the days to months following surgery. Specifically, you could potentially have skin loss from the prophylactic mastectomy or significant capsular contraction.
If you are a good candidate for an abdominoplasty, that tissue that would be discarded may ideal for breast reconstruction is there is a problem with your implant reconstruction.
Don't have a concurrent breast reconstruction with implants and abdominoplasty. You are burning a bridge that may be your next best option. Wait a year. After a year, you'll know (for the most part) if you are happy with your breasts and can proceed with an abdominoplasty if you wish - and do so knowing you're doing the safest thing.
I hope this helps!
Dr. Kaufman

Using your abdominal tissues in breast reconstruction is a very effective technique. Your plastic surgeon will evaluate your physical condition and determine if you have enough abdominal tissue to re-create your breasts. When they close the wound, they can close it like a tummy tuck. Patients appreciate this reconstruction because it uses their own tissue and can re-contour the abdomen at the same time.

To learn more about tummy tucks, see photos, and help you decide which one is best for you, please visit us at the link below: