TRAM Flap Method of Breast Reconstruction

When a patient loses one or both breasts to cancer, she may opt for the TRAM flap method of reconstruction or one of the alternatives. Breast cancer is diagnosed way too often in America. Over 200,000 women are found to have these abnormal cells in their bodies each year. Even though early diagnoses are making this disease more curable, there are still thousands of deaths from it each year. Lifestyle changes can cut a woman's chances of developing it in the first place. Once it's been diagnosed, treatments such as radiation, mastectomy and chemotherapy offer a good chance of beating the disease. After the abnormal cells have been eradicated, various methods to reconstruct a woman's breasts can enhance her appearance and increase her self confidence. Here are some things to think about:

- Prevention through lifestyle changes: A woman can improve her chances of ever developing this disease in the first place if she makes some changes in her lifestyle. Some preventative measures include eating right and incorporating exercise into her routine. Even 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours per week of exercise will make a substantial difference. Avoiding hormone laced beef and dairy products will also make a difference as will taking 2 grams of fish oil each day. Staying at or near one's ideal weight will help, too, as will curtailing stress and the exposure to carcinogens in the environment.

- Screening tests: The earlier the detection, the better a patient's chances of being cured. Some screening tools include self checks, physician manual exams, mammograms, ultrasounds, MRIs and biopsies.

- Treatments: Some of the treatment options that are available include chemotherapy, radiation, and mastectomy. The chemicals used in I.V.s, pills or injections will depend on the type of cancer that's present. Radiation will be used to eradicate the growth of abnormal cells before they spread to other regions of the body. Mastectomies may be radical, partial, lumpectomies, nipple sparing, skin sparing or other methods.

- Reconstructive procedures: There are various methods of reconstruction following mastectomies, including the TRAM flap, DIEP flap and the insertion of implants.
- TRAM flap: This is a method which involves relocating muscle, fat and skin from the hip, thigh or belly to the chest. The initials TRAM stand for transverse rectus abdominis muscle. This is an earlier version of one called DIEP and is said to be riskier due to chances of death of tissue after the procedure.
- DIEP: The D.I.E.P. stands for deep inferior epigastric performator which is another version of flap surgery. This one moves the flesh with blood vessels, fat and muscles intact so has a higher success rate than the TRAM.
- Implants: Implants that are filled with saline, silicone or gummy bear gel are placed after an expanding device has stretched the chest skin to allow room.

Breast cancer research continues in order to give women better chances of beating the disease. Prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and reconstruction via either TRAM flap, DIEP or the use of implants can improve each person's chances of having a long life.