Buttock Crease Transfer

The buttocks are another source of "excess" tissue for breast reconstruction. Although this might be the first place some of us think to go looking for extra padding, buttock crease transfer surgery is rarely done because of its complexity and high failure rate.

An oval section of skin, fat, and muscle is completely removed from the buttock and transplanted in the breast area. The tissue is shaped into a natural-looking breast and sewn into place. An additional implant may or may not be required underneath your own tissue to create the size of breast you desire. The scar is conveniently concealed in the buttock crease.

Buttock crease transfer surgery is technically difficult because blood vessels that keep the tissue alive must be cut and reconnected—with the aid of a microscope—to a new blood supply on the chest. The procedure can take up to twelve hours. If the newly connected blood vessels are damaged, the transferred tissue may not survive. In this case, the transferred tissue must be surgically removed and your medical team must find you another solution.