New Technique Helps Mastectomy Patients

Breast reconstruction surgery has come a long way over the last few decades. In the past, breast cancer survivors had few options after a mastectomy.

Now, a new technique promises to help thousands of women feel whole again.

Naomi Whinnie, of Cambria County, was diagnosed with breast cancer which resulted in radiation plus a double mastectomy.

Her identical twin sister, Nina Hilderbrand, said, "Anything that happens to her affects me. I tried to help her but I felt, 'What else can I do?'"

Most breast reconstructive surgeries involve muscle tissue, but the new technique involves "epigastric perforator flap reconstruction" and only uses living tissue. The muscle function is preserved and no artificial implants are needed.

Many women use their own stomach tissue, but Whinnie had undergone a tummy tuck, so her sister offered to donate her tissue. The procedure was the first twin-to-twin reconstructive breast surgery in the world.

Whinnie said, "You owe it to yourself to know what your options are - what's available. This microsurgery (is) just amazing. You get immediate results and you're up and moving around."

She added, "I'm whole again, I look better than I did before."

Because the twins are identical, there is no chance for tissue rejection. The procedure, which took place at East Cooper Medical Center in South Carolina, took seven hours.

DIEP flap only accounts for about 5 percent of breast reconstruction surgeries. At present, only a few dozen doctors in the country are trained to dissect and connect the blood vessels.