Taken from the PRMA website.
The type of DIEP flap post surgical garments you will wear may very depending on your plastic surgeon. This is a photo I took on my computer. Keep in mind this is from my surgery in 2015 and what they give patients now may be updated. But it is a page taken directly out of the Breast Reconstruction Planner from my surgical group, PRMA in San Antonio. They are very comprehensive helping you plan every step of the way but I wanted you to hear an experience from a patient’s standpoint and the type of DIEP flap post surgical garments I wore.
Are they glamorous? No, but you learn to conceal their bulkiness with accessorizing! Here is a picture with my nurse Denise. You can visibly see the outline of my drains but you don’t see any of my post DIEP flap surgical garments. Are they comfortable? They’re not uncomfortable but they are a bit bulky and the abdominal binder, if you’ve had DIEP flap surgery, tends to move around a bit after you have had it on and are going about your daily routine. Are they difficult to get on? Tricky, I would say, not difficult. You learn the “tricks of the trade” in getting them on properly and more quickly in the few weeks you are asked to wear them post surgery. Does everyone wear them after breast reconstruction? That is a personal decision made between you and your plastic surgeon. I will be straight up with you here as a patient. As much as I didn’t like wearing them at times, I wouldn’t have it any other way. They gave me great support and actually felt better when they were on. I wore them 24/7 except for showering for the first two weeks after my surgery and then slowly transitioned to a good support bra and a high-waist abdominal support at about three weeks post surgery. I will discuss those garments in another post.
These are all questions I will outline in this post and know that it is from a patient’s experience and what my plastic surgeon recommended for me. There is a lot of discussion from reconstruction patients about whether or not their plastic surgeon required them to wear support garments after surgery and there is varying practices regarding this topic. This was my experience.
Photo #1
Post Surgical Garment: The Details
You wake up from surgery with this support bra on as shown in photo #1.
Photo #2
Photo #2 shows a close-up of the hook and eye closure. My best friend who came to take care of me week two after my husband had to fly home was my “hook and eye” specialist. We came up with several jokes about this process but our favorite was the “Scarlet O’Hara”. My best friend is originally from Georgia and never lost her lovely accent. After I finished my shower she would nimbly help me get these hooked up and in her best southern accent would say, “Alright, Miss Scarlet, let’s get you put back together!”
“May I take a Peek?”
Photo #3
Photo #3 shows the Velcro closure straps. When I was in hospital this is how my plastic surgeon and the nurses accessed looking at my breasts and also checking those all important, newly connected perforators with the Doppler to see if the blood flow was at its proper level. My plastic surgeon was always so polite the mornings he would walk in to check on me in hospital. He would always come in and ask me how I was feeling. Then he’d very courteously say, “May I take a peek?” With that he would undo that Velcro strap and check for bruising and a good visual of the healing process. Those straps made it very easy for all of them to make sure the breasts were healing well. I have to admit, I’d take them off myself from time to time marveling at my newly constructed breasts after living with a double mastectomy for seven months. It was a beautiful sight to behold.
DIEP Flap: Protecting the Incisions
Photo #4
Photo #4 shows the t-shirt you will need to buy before you leave for your surgery. I packed a couple to take to the hospital and had others cleaned and waiting back at my place of healing for the week I was dismissed from the hospital. I just bought plain, cotton, men’s t-shirts and cut them down the middle. They protect the incisions from any rubbing from the support bra. You may get a bit of blood or bodily fluids from the incisions and this is natural as long as it’s not too much. Wearing these t-shirts makes it so easy to change them out by just throwing them in the wash and putting on a clean one after you shower. I would say having 3-6 available is plenty, depending on your availability to keep them washed up.
DIEP Flap Surgical Garment: the abdominal binder!
Photo #5 The 45″ HUG!
Photo #5 shows the full Monty, all 45” from east to west, so to speak. I endangered my life by standing on a stool to get the entire thing in the picture so you’re welcome ladies and I made it off the stool without falling! I wanted to show it laid out so you can get a sense of how this thing works.
Photo #6
Photo #6 shows one end of the garment with the A, B and C labels.These are here for a reason. Put them on in that order.
Photo #7
As is stated on the page I linked to the PRMA site above, place the tag you see in photo #7 on the outside, curve-side above your buttocks. Start with flap A and wrap it around for a snug fit. Follow with flap B, and end with flap C. I always had flap C just a bit slanted and the lowest of all the flaps.
Photo #8
Photo #8 shows the Velcro end of the labeled flap closures. You’ll figure it out once you put them on. It’s a process, like I stated earlier, but you’ll get the hang of it. I just want to emphasize again how much support these give you after surgery.
A Fashion Statement Indeed!
This is a “selfie” I took in the hospital with my surgical bra on so you could see what it is actually looks like on me. It’s the fashion statement of the year, don’t you think? Sequins? Ribbons? A little accessorizing makes a girl feel fashionable!