Indications and Controversies for Nonabdominally-Based Complete Autologous Tissue Breast Reconstruction

Autologous breast reconstruction can be challenging in mastectomy patients who are not eligible for a deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap reconstruction. Depending on the body habitus, alternative donor sites for free flap transfer can be found on the back, the thighs, and in the gluteal area. These alternative flaps can demand a higher level of expertise, which should be mastered by the modern day reconstructive microsurgeon. The flap choice should be tailored individually to each patient and should not be limited by the difficulty of the surgery.