How Long Does Mastectomy and Immediate Breast Reconstruction Surgery Take?

Historically, DIEP flap surgery has been associated with extended operative times of 12 to 14 hours compared to those of implant reconstruction.  However, at Breast Reconstructive Associates, we aim to change the narrative of DIEP flap surgery by performing these surgeries with a team of two experienced microsurgeons.

Our operative times have been reduced to an average of four hours for a one-sided mastectomy with reconstruction, and six hours for a double mastectomy with reconstruction. These are numbers for a total operative time from the start of the mastectomy to the completion of DIEP flap reconstruction.

The importance of reducing operative times correlates directly to patient safety.  This means that there is less anesthesia time, reduced need for blood transfusions, no required ICU stays, and faster total recovery time.