DIEP Flap Surgery - Addressing Your Concerns

If you're thinking of getting reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy, the DIEP flap procedure is one of the options you'll likely be presented with. A surgeon will choose which technique to go with depending on a number of factors, including the shape of the patient, the type of mastectomy that was performed, whether or not the surgery will be immediate, and many others. Before you make your appointment, however, it's important that you gather all the information you can—both from your doctor and from reputable sources—so that you can make the right call for your health and your future. Here are a few concerns that many women have about the procedure.

How effective is the reconstruction?

One of the primary concerns many women have when it comes not only to the DIEP flap method of reconstruction, but other methods as well, is how similar their chest will look post surgery to what they had before going in. Obviously, there will be some changes. For the first month or so, while you are healing, those differences will be more pronounced than they will be after the healing process has completed. Some women choose to get implants in both breasts to have them match more perfectly, which is an option you can discuss with your surgeon.

What is the success rate for DIEP flap surgery?

National statistics place the success rate at around 97% or above. You can increase those chances to nearly 100% by making sure you thoroughly research the surgeon who is performing the procedure and the facility at which your operation will take place. There is a vast difference between having your procedure done by a plastic surgeon and having it done by a breast reconstruction specialist. While the chances of complications are low in either case, you can dwindle those chances down to almost nothing by choosing someone experienced and skilled in the field.

Will insurance cover my DIEP flap surgery?

Since it is conflated with cosmetic and elective surgeries such as traditional breast augmentation, many women fear that their reconstruction will not be covered by their insurance company. While it is vital that you check with your provider and make sure, most insurance companies will cover at least part of the bill. Numerous studies have come to conclusions about the tangible link between reconstruction and a woman's self esteem and mental health moving forward after cancer, and few want the negative publicity that comes with denying benefits to a woman in such a position.