Reaching a Milestone: 3,500 Flaps

Recently I reached a milestone I never imagined when I began my career in reconstructive microsurgery: 3,500 flaps.

Behind that number are the many patients who trusted me, and our team, with their care — often at one of the most difficult moments of their lives. That trust is a true honor, and something I never take for granted.

A “flap” is a microsurgical procedure in which a patient’s own tissue — skin, fat, and its blood supply — is moved from one part of the body to rebuild another, most often the breast after mastectomy. Using a patient’s own tissue means reconstruction without implants, with results that look and feel natural. Each flap requires connecting blood vessels only a few millimeters wide under a microscope — meticulous work that depends on an entire, dedicated team.

About 96% of these procedures have been for breast reconstruction:

• Approximately 2,500 DIEP flaps — lower abdominal tissue, and our most common approach
• More than 500 PAP flaps (profunda artery perforator) — tissue from the upper inner and posterior thigh
• Approximately 300 LAP flaps (lumbar artery perforator) — a specialized option using tissue from the love-handle area
• Along with SIEA, MS-TRAM, and other flaps tailored to each patient’s anatomy

Across these procedures, our flap success rate is approximately 99%.

We’ve also performed flap reconstruction beyond the breast — for the head and neck, extremities, and trunk — restoring form and function after cancer, trauma, and other complex problems.

To every patient who has allowed me to be part of their care: thank you.

Figures in this entry are as of September 2026 and are not updated. Current figures are on the procedure pages.