Pioneer of DIEP Flap Performs 5,000th Procedure
Dr. Robert Allen, Sr., a pioneer in microsurgical breast reconstruction, achieved
a milestone in September when he performed his 5000th free flap reconstruction. He
gained distinction by developing the Deep Inferior Epigastric (DIEP) flap for breast
reconstruction, with the first one being performed at LSU Charity hospital in 1992.
The DIEP flap quickly became and remains the gold standard in breast reconstruction
because it spares the muscles from the abdomen. This allows for reduced donor site
complications and shorter recovery.
In 2014, Dr. Allen was named one of the most influential plastic surgeons of that era because of his work on perforator (muscle sparing) breast reconstruction. He subsequently performed the initial work to develop a variety of other options for reconstruction following mastectomy (SGAP, IGAP, PAP, LTP and SHAP flaps). He has been, and is still, very involved in residents and fellow education as a member of the faculty at LSU Health Sciences Center.
(Image below, left to right: Devin Melancon, LSU med student and research fellow; Michael Borrero, microsurgery fellow; Hugo St-Hilaire; Robert Allen; and Zachary Stern-Buchbinder, R5 LSU plastic)
(Image, left: Dr. Allen with scrub techs)