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AdrienneTGurden
3 months ago
Answered

DIEP Flap is red

Is this ok? My surgeon saw the scarring while I was in hospital and wasn’t concerned. I had Double Mastectomy with Nipples and DIEP Flap on June 5, 2024, discharge from hospital on June 7 and have a follow up appointment on June 13, 2024; making sure I can wait or if I should go to Emergency Room

Close up was taken this morning, the other picture was yesterday and I included the breast fine

Procedure: DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction
Location: Massapequa, NY

Replies 3

Gary Culbertson
ASPS Surgeon
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You should contact your surgeon and be seen urgently.

Best,

Gary Culbertson, MD

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Rozbeh Torabi
ASPS Surgeon
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More worrisome is the mastectomy flap but the DIEP flap also looks somewhat red and swollen. The surgeon has seen it and seen its progression but I would be in touch with them because you may need to be seen earlier.

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Rahul Vemula
ASPS Surgeon
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From the looks of the picture your DIEP flap seems to be fine. However your mastectomy skin flap looks like it is compromised. Parts of it may recover but looks there going to be some loss of the mastectomy skin. There are things that can be done to minimize this such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy. You need to contact your plastic surgeon as soon as possible.

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