Pioneering new surgery for breast cancer patients
With breast cancer the most common cancer in
the UK, accounting for almost one in three (30%) of all cancer
cases in women*, it is becoming more important that patients know
about the latest advances in reconstructive breast surgery. The
'gold standard' method utilises the patient’s own tissues. Up until
recently, the major source of donor tissue was skin and fat from
the patient’s lower abdominal wall. However, in some women, it may
not be possible to use their abdominal skin due to either previous
surgery or because they are too slim.
Other options include the use of implants, but
again, many women wish to use their own tissues wherever possible.
David Ross, plastic and reconstructive surgeon at The London
Clinic, is leading the way with a pioneering new technique using
skin and fat tissue harvested from buttock - the Superior Gluteal
Artery Perforator Flap, or S-GAP. This highly intricate procedure
involves microsurgery to reconnect blood vessels beside the
breastbone to create a new blood supply for the tissue that has
been moved to the breast. Scarring is well-concealed at the donor
site as it is carefully hidden underneath underwear.
David Ross comments: “This technique
represents a significant advance in providing women with an
additional reconstructive method that allows them to choose their
own tissues when other methods may be either impossible or
undesirable. This is particularly relevant to those ladies seeking
reconstruction at the time of mastectomy who then require
radiotherapy, as the latter can cause problems in patients with
implants.”
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