Two donor sites, one reconstruction

This patient had bilateral mastectomies and wanted a reconstruction with no implant of any kind. She had been treated with radiation, which makes implant-based reconstruction less reliable, and she was clear that she did not want anything artificial.

Neither donor site on its own would have provided enough volume, so tissue was taken from both: LAP flaps from the flank — the love-handle area — and PAP flaps from the posterior thigh.

This is an uncommon operation and it suits a small group of patients. It is worth doing when it lets someone meet their goals without a foreign implant and without a longer recovery than necessary.

Her own summary was that her body looked better afterwards than it had before.