What Is SGAP Flap?

Women with less abdominal fat who want a natural breast after a mastectomy often choose breast reconstruction called an SGAP flap. A superior gluteal artery perforator, or SGAP, involves building a soft new breast from your own mid- and upper-buttock tissue without using any muscle. Our dedicated team of surgical specialists, anesthesiologists and nurses will give you the best care throughout the process. Our plastic surgeons are the most experienced microsurgery team in the state of Florida and perform more than 650 microsurgical procedures each year.

Is This Procedure Right for You?

This procedure might be right for you if you are thin and don’t have enough abdominal fat for tissue to be taken for the reconstruction, or because you prefer to use tissue and blood vessels from your buttocks. With this procedure, you will be able to have reconstructed breasts from living tissue that look and feel natural. If you’re not a smoker, talk to your doctor to see whether this is an option for you.

Benefits and Risks

If tissue is taken from your mid- or upper buttocks for this procedure, you will get the side benefit of a buttocks lift. Your new breasts will be soft and filled with living tissue, not artificial devices that might leak or require replacement. Nearly all women, even athletes, have enough buttock tissue. Other benefits include:

  • Self-sustaining. Blood vessels will be relocated to the new location to keep the rebuilt breasts healthy.
  • Muscle preservation. Your abdominal muscles will not be touched, minimizing pain and discomfort, and injury to your gluteus maximus is minimal, avoiding sciatic problems and discomfort sitting, as with similar PAP and IGAP procedures that instead harvest fat from the lower buttocks.
  • Shorter recovery. You will have less pain with this microsurgery.

If you receive the SGAP flap on only one side, you might want revisional surgery later on your other breast to match the size and appearance. If you have any other medical issues, we will address them before surgery. You should make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions for preparing for surgery. Any surgery has risk, but we ensure that we minimize any potential issues. 

What To Expect?

You’ll have general anesthesia during the surgery and a three-day stay before being discharged with detailed instructions on post-surgery care. You will have two or more surgical incisions and relocated buttocks tissue, fat, blood vessels and possibly nerves. Those parts of your body will need to heal and may have drains for two to four weeks. For a few weeks, you will focus on resting and slowly adding light activities. You will likely be able to resume a normal daily routine after six to eight weeks. With this procedure, you will likely have a straight-line scar above each buttock so low that it will be hidden even with a high-sided bikini bottom.