Implants Vs Lumbar Artery Perforator (LAP) flap procedure for reconstruction with Saving my nipple

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Hi,

I was diagnosed with BRCA 2 at 30 in December and just recently had my clinical appointment.

It was a bit of a rush as I had been there for ages due delays in the schedule so I didn't feel like I got to ask all the questions I wanted to and was very overwhelmed.

I don't want children so I am not so worried about breast feeding. This might sound vain and silly but my main worry is how they will look, I have large breasts and this is strangely become apart of my identity and I'm not sure how or maybe who I will be without them but the thought of waiting for screening every year with such high chances is too stressful.

I am leaning towards reconstruction using my own tissue and I advised the breast surgeons this so we didn't go into the implants a lot. They advised that I would have to have LAP due not enough fat elsewhere, which I heard is not as common. 

I just wondered had anyone else had this surgery and what was their  experience was for recovery and do you like the look? For context I'm currently a 10F and the surgeons advised I would go smaller like a C which I don't have a problem with but I understand the skin can look different and obviously my nipples are going to have to be resized. Looking a pictures online has scared me a bit and the implants seem to look better but also committing to getting new implants every 10-15 years and possibly rejecting them is a lot.

This all sounds so ridiculous considering the risks to be worrying about but these are my concerns.

Would be super grateful if anyone could share if they have had the lap surgery or implants and what their thoughts are?

Thank you!

  • Hi  

    I am sorry you have a BRCA2 gene defect and are facing surgery and reconstruction. I quite understand that your appearance afterwards matters so much. I realise you don’t have cancer but suggest you post your query into our Breast cancer forum . I am one of the community champions covering the various breast cancer forums. I don’t have the experience you are looking for and am concerned you may not get a response on this particular forum, as it’s not very busy. A lot of our ladies on the breast cancer forums have had reconstructions of various types following cancer surgery, so you may more readily find experience of LAP there. 

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