In a TRAM flap procedure, a patient’s own tissues are used to create a natural appearing breast form.		A tissue expander is filled with fluid to form a breast shape.

 

TRAM flap (trans rectus abdominal muscle flap) – A common type of breast reconstruction that involves removal of the rectus abdominus muscle from the abdomen to the chest to create a breast form.

DIEP (deep inferior epigastric perforator) flap) – This type of breast reconstruction uses skin and fat with transference of arteries/veins to the chest via microsurgery techniques.

Saline implant – The placement of a sac filled with saline (salt water) which creates a breast form.  The sac is placed between the muscles and the chest wall.

Tissue expander – This is a sac which is placed inside of the chest wall and is inflated with fluid in order to expand the skin over the chest wall and maintain a form like the breast.  This inflation process is repeated several times until the chest wall naturally stretches to the desired chest size and then an implant is placed later on to maintain the breast form.