London Robotic Breast Institute

Patient information on robotic-assisted breast reconstruction in the UK

Glossary — robotic reconstruction terms

These terms appear on LRBI pages. After the first mention we use the short form. For a wider reconstruction glossary, use Breastory’s glossary.

DIEP flap

Deep inferior epigastric perforator flap. Skin and fat from the lower abdomen are used to rebuild a breast. The abdominal muscle is left in place. Blood vessels are joined under a microscope. The standard operation is explained on Breastory’s DIEP flap reconstruction overview.

Robotic DIEP flap

A DIEP reconstruction in which a surgical robot helps free the abdominal vessels through a smaller opening. The reconstruction itself is still performed by the surgical team.1 See robotic DIEP flap reconstruction in the UK on this site.

Keyhole DIEP

A minimal-access harvest without a robot, reported in the UK in 2025 as a step before the 2026 robotic case. Press described a shorter internal opening than open harvest.2 It is not the same operation as robotic DIEP. How it works sets that alongside robotic harvest.

Minimal-access flap harvest

Any technique that frees the flap’s blood vessels through a shorter opening in the abdominal wall than a traditional harvest. Robotic and keyhole methods are both forms of this. How it works describes the difference from an open harvest.

TEP DIEP

Total extraperitoneal DIEP. A research term for reaching the abdominal vessels from in front of the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity). Published robotic DIEP descriptions often use an intra-abdominal view instead.3 If you see “TEP” on a paper, ask your team which route they mean. LRBI pages use “robotic DIEP” unless a source specifies the route.

RNSM

Robotic nipple-sparing mastectomy — removal of breast tissue with a robot, keeping the skin and nipple. It is not reconstruction. LRBI mentions it only to keep those two operations apart. The UK landscape records that there is no national RNSM programme in the sources on this site.

Questions patients often ask

What is a robotic DIEP flap?

A DIEP reconstruction in which a surgical robot helps free the abdominal vessels through a smaller opening. The surgical team still performs the reconstruction.

Is robotic DIEP the same as robotic mastectomy?

No. Robotic nipple-sparing mastectomy (RNSM) removes breast tissue. Robotic DIEP is reconstruction after a mastectomy. This glossary keeps those two operations apart.

Where should I read about a standard DIEP flap?

On Breastory’s DIEP flap reconstruction overview. This site is for robotic-assisted reconstruction in the UK, not the usual DIEP encyclopedia.

Also on this site

Further reading on Breastory

Sources & guidance

Numbers and claims on this page have a numbered source. Open a number in the text or below to read it.

  1. reviewBishop SN, Selber JC, et al. Minimally invasive robotic breast reconstruction surgery. Gland Surg. 2021 ncbi.nlm.nih.govNote: Definition of robotic DIEP as robot-assisted vessel harvest.
  2. pressBBC News. New breast reconstruction procedure hailed ‘massive breakthrough’. 2025 bbc.co.ukNote: UK keyhole DIEP as a precursor, distinct from robotic DIEP.
  3. reviewThe full continuum of robotic breast surgery (mastectomy, DIEP, supermicrosurgery). Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2023 ncbi.nlm.nih.govNote: Published robotic DIEP technique described as intra-abdominal pedicle dissection.