GAP (Buttocks)

If you do not have enough tissue to spare from your abdomen to rebuild your breast, your surgeon can transfer tissue from your buttocks instead. Both types of GAP flaps take their names from the related blood vessel – the gluteal artery perforator. When the flap of tissue is removed, the incision is either made in the upper/superior region (sGAP flap) or lower/inferior (iGAP flap) region. Any scarring is easily concealed with underwear.

As with DIEP and other perforator flaps, the skin, fat and blood vessel that make up the GAP flap are detached from the original site then attached at the mastectomy site and used to shape a natural, living breast with state-of-the-art microsurgical techniques. No muscle is transferred or damaged.