A Systematic Approach to Intraoperative Venous Congestion in the Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator (DIEAP) Flap

The deep Inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEAP) flap is currently the gold standard for autologous breast reconstruction. This flap is susceptible to venous congestion, which can result in partial or complete flap loss. Apart from external causes, venous congestion may be caused by the flap's vascular architecture, either due to a dominance of the superficial venous system or due to impaired communication between the superficial and deep venous systems. This inefficient vascular architecture can be detected during surgery, and the venous outflow drainage can be improved through several techniques. We present two case reports of intraoperative venous congestion. In the first case, we performed an intra-flap rerouting, through a venous anastomosis between the superficial and the deep venous systems. In the second case, an extra-flap rerouting was executed, through a venous anastomosis between the superficial venous system and a recipient vein. We present the current institutional approach to DIEAP flap breast reconstruction, incorporating surgical insights for addressing intraoperative venous congestion.