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Restore Your Curvaceous Figure With Hybrid Breast Reconstruction in Austin

After dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis, many patients seek breast reconstruction to reflect their restored health. Breast reconstruction can be a critical step in moving forward, but how do you know which type of procedure is the right choice for you? In some situations, a combination of reconstruction techniques, also known as hybrid breast reconstruction, may provide the most aesthetically pleasing outcome, so you can once again feel and look like yourself. At Austin Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, our skilled plastic surgeons and microsurgeons specialize in breast reconstruction, consistently providing beautiful, natural-looking results.

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What Is Hybrid Breast Reconstruction?

Hybrid breast reconstruction is a breast reconstruction technique that combines a flap procedure, such as DIEP flap, with customized breast implants. This allows the patient to achieve fuller, more natural-looking upper body contours. The flap aspect of the procedure involves the use of tissues from another area of the body, such as the stomach, thighs, or buttocks, to rebuild the shape and fullness of the breasts. When combined with breast implants, this results in comprehensive breast reconstruction with breasts that look and feel exceptionally natural.

Choosing Your Breast Implants for Hybrid Breast Reconstruction

Generally, our surgeons prefer to use silicone breast implants for hybrid breast reconstruction, as they tend to look and feel more natural than saline implants. When you have your initial consultation, your surgeon will work with you to choose the type, shape, and size of implants that will be the best fit for your body proportions and aesthetic preferences. Keep in mind that when you are combining the implants with a flap technique, you will be able to select smaller implants that will reduce the risk of complications after surgery. When the smaller implants are combined with a patient’s own tissue, the surgeon can typically achieve the desired fullness and projection.

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Your Flap Options for Hybrid Breast Reconstruction

During flap breast reconstruction, flaps of skin and fat are removed from another area of the body and used to replace lost breast tissue. At Austin Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, we offer the following flap techniques for hybrid breast reconstruction:

DIEP Flap

The DIEP flap involves fat and skin being taken from excess lower abdominal tissue, resulting in a flatter midsection.

GAP Flap

With the GAP flap, excess fat and skin are removed from the buttocks.

PAP Flap

The PAP flap uses fat and skin taken from the posterior and inner thighs.

Latissimus Dorsi (LD) Flap

With the LD flap, skin, fat, and muscle are taken from the upper back.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Hybrid Breast Reconstruction?

If you’re looking to restore the fullness of your breasts with natural-looking results after a breast cancer diagnosis, you could be a good candidate for hybrid breast reconstruction in Austin with our team. Hybrid breast reconstruction can be performed at the same time as your mastectomy (immediate reconstruction) or some time afterward (delayed reconstruction).

Hybrid breast reconstruction is often a good choice for women who only have small amounts of fat in other areas of the body. If there isn’t enough available excess fat for a flap procedure to provide sufficient results, combining it with breast implants may potentially be the best option for full, natural-looking results.

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Hybrid Reconstruction Before & After

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What Is the Recovery Like After Hybrid Breast Reconstruction?

You may need to stay at the hospital for two or three days after your hybrid breast reconstruction surgery. You can expect to experience bruising, swelling, and discomfort in all surgery sites, including the donor tissue area. Throughout the recovery procedure, it will be imperative to follow all of your surgeon’s instructions.

To enable your body to heal and regenerate new tissue in the breast area as well as the donor area for the flap, you may need to wait six to eight weeks before returning to work and your normal routine. Additionally, heavy lifting and strenuous physical activity must be avoided for up to 12 weeks after surgery. While the first four months of recovery are the most intense, it can take up to a full year for smaller aspects of healing to occur.

Why Choose Austin Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery for Hybrid Breast Reconstruction in Austin?

At Austin Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, our highly respected, award-winning plastic surgeons and microsurgeons are known for consistently delivering natural-looking, aesthetically pleasing results with their breast reconstruction procedures. Our team has performed over 6,000 breast reconstruction procedures, including over 2,500 DIEP flap reconstructions. We understand how challenging it can be to feel good about yourself and the way you look after a breast cancer diagnosis, which is why we take great pride in helping our patients restore their self-confidence and feel like themselves again. If you’d like to schedule a private consultation with one of our expert surgeons, contact us today.

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FAQ: Hybrid Breast Reconstruction

Is there noticeable scarring after hybrid breast reconstruction?

Is the procedure painful?

How long does hybrid breast reconstruction take?

Is there noticeable scarring after hybrid breast reconstruction?

Scarring is an inevitable part of a major surgery like hybrid breast reconstruction. However, your surgeon will work with you to choose the ideal size and location of your incisions. They will also advise you on optimal techniques for wound healing to effectively reduce the visibility of any scarring after your procedure.

Is the procedure painful?

Because you’ll be under general anesthesia, you won’t feel any pain or discomfort during your hybrid breast reconstruction surgery. You will experience some soreness after the procedure, but your surgeon can prescribe you pain medication to alleviate your discomfort.

How long does hybrid breast reconstruction take?

Depending on the extent of your hybrid breast reconstruction surgery and whether you’re having one or both breasts treated, the procedure can take anywhere from two to six hours to complete.

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