Tram Flap Surgery - Costa Rica Newlook

TRAM stands for the transverse rectus abdominis muscle, which is located in the lower abdomen, between the waist and the pubic bone. This reconstructive surgery is the most popular surgery for breast reconstruction, and is especially used for:

• woman with excess belly fat
• an abdomen that has been stretched out by pregnancy
• for breast reconstruction post cancer

You end up with a "tummy tuck" as a fringe benefit of surgery. Also, abdominal tissue feels most like a natural breast to anyone touching you. For you, the new breast will have little, if any, sensation.

An oval section of skin, fat, and muscle is taken from the lower half of the abdomen and slid up through a tunnel under the skin to the breast area. Blood vessels remain attached whenever it's possible. The tissue is shaped into a natural-looking breast and sewn into place. If blood vessels have been cut, the surgeon reattaches them to blood vessels in the chest area using a microscope to sew the tiny, delicate attachments. The procedure takes about three hours. The new breast can also be made larger during this surgery, with an implant underneath your own tissue.

The tram flap reconstructive surgery is not for everyone. It's not a good choice for:

• thin women who don't have enough abdominal tissue,
• women who smoke and therefore have blood vessels that are narrow and less flexible, or
• women who have multiple surgical scars on the abdomen (normal Cesarean-section scars are not usually a problem)

Things to keep in mind about TRAM

Most women are pleased to have a flat belly from the tummy tuck that goes along with the TRAM procedure. Here are some things to think about as you consider TRAM:

• Long scar: The tummy tuck incision runs across your body from hipbone to hipbone, midway between the top of your pubic hair and your navel.
  
  
• Navel distortion: The plastic surgeon may need to build you a new belly button because after the abdominal area is reshaped, your natural navel may be stretched, distorted, or in the wrong place.
  
  
• Loss of feeling: Abdominal tissue feels very close to breast tissue for the toucher. However, because nerves are cut in the course of the surgery, you are not likely to have much feeling or sensitivity in your new breasts.
  
  
• Once is all you get: A plastic surgeon can take tissue from your abdomen only once. If you used the abdominal flap for a single breast mastectomy, and later you need a mastectomy of the second breast, transplant tissue must come from the side of your back, or you'll rely on an implant.