Category: Breast Reconstruction

Episode 8: ERAS Protocol in Breast Reconstruction

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Are fear of pain and time of recovery after breast reconstruction surgery some of your biggest concerns? If so, Episode 8: ERAS Protocol in Breast Reconstruction, with Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo will give you information about ERAS (Enhanced Recovery after Surgery) protocol many large volume centers are now using for DIEP flap and other types of breast reconstruction. Dr. C is the president of  PRMA in San Antonio and the developer of the Breast Advocate app. Both of these sites have more information about ERAS protocol as well as the DiepCJourney blog and  DiepC Foundation YouTube channel.  Why Use ERAS? There is a shared interest Dr. C and I share in having this conversation. He states it very clearly at the beginning of the podcast. The number one beneficiary is patient experience and patient outcomes. There are substantial data and evidence-based studies about results of using ERAS and the benefits it offers patients. In fact, follow the directions below and Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Clubhouse Discussion

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This past week, I was fortunate to have Roberta Albany and Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo join me as moderators for a breast reconstruction clubhouse discussion. Clubhouse is a fairly new app for iPhone users. The sessions generally last an hour in length. Think of it as a casual phone conversation with the members who join. It is not recorded, or at least does not have that feature yet. There are moderators who can invite those who “raise their hand” using an icon on the app to come “up to the stage”. They are invited to speak by a moderator when they raise their hand. Once invited to speak, they unmute their microphone to begin their question, comment, or thoughts. The topic I chose was “Breast Reconstruction Concerns and Questions Answered”. The discussion and information provided by Roberta and Dr. C was both enlightening and informative. I want to provide some of Continue Reading →

What Patients Can Teach You About Breast Cancer PTSD

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I wrote a blog on this topic regarding my own experience with PTSD after a breast cancer diagnosis. In fact, it was after my second breast cancer diagnosis. There are times when blogs are inspired in ways I did not see coming. After sharing it in my closed Facebook group my heart dropped reading the comments from others about their experience. I was amazed at what patients can teach you about breast cancer PTSD. I asked them how they deal with PTSD after breast cancer. They provided honest answers, some heart wrenching and some with resources to share within the group. Here is some what some patients shared about their own struggles. Sleep Deprivation and PTSD after Breast Cancer Sleep seemed to be illusive to some. They reported crying all day exhausting themselves into a nap. But then they did not sleep at night. This became a vicious cycle. One Continue Reading →

Episode 4: Coordinated Care in Breast Cancer

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Have you been diagnosed with breast cancer or at high risk of getting breast cancer due to a genetic mutation? Do you remember the day you heard those words and got the news? How many healthcare providers did you have on your team? In Episode 4 we discuss the importance of coordinated care in breast cancer. My guest is an educator, microsurgeon and Director for MedStar Plastic and Reconstruction surgery and Academic Chair for the Department of Plastic Surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center, Dr. David H. Song. He chairs the BC3 Conference in Washington, D. C. The purpose of the conference as stated from the website: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women. Diagnosis and treatments are part of the practice of a wide number of medical specialists and there are national initiatives calling for a multidisciplinary approach to the care of breast cancer patients. The multiple Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Truth: Headlines and Research

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Are you considering breast reconstruction? When I was faced with a second breast cancer diagnosis, had a double mastectomy, and began to do my own research about breast reconstruction, I was either oversaturated with information or wanted to shut down from information overload. When researching breast reconstruction, how do you distinguish the truth in headlines and research? The Moment of Truth The moment of truth begins when you are diagnosed or find you have a high risk of getting breast cancer due to a gene mutation. This moment is most often at the office of your healthcare provider. An oncologist, radiologist, breast surgeon, or genetic counselor are the most likely people to give you this news. You walk out the door with pamphlets and information. They might give you resources for online support, virtual meetings with other survivors, or websites to research. I hear so many individuals in this situation Continue Reading →

Episode 3: Breast Reconstruction and Breast Sensation

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In Episode 3 of the DiepCJourney podcast I discuss breast reconstruction and breast sensation with two surgeons who have performed this procedure together in their practice. Dr. Anne Peled and Dr. Ziv Peled work in tandem in the operating room to preserve and restore sensation to the breast for those affected by breast cancer. The paper published by Dr. Anne and Ziv Peled can be found in the PRS Global Open under the title, Nerve Preservation and Allografting for Sensory Innervation Following Immediate Implant Breast Reconstruction PRS Global Open Dr. Anne Peled, who was diagnosed with breast cancer herself, was torn about what surgical option to choose for her own diagnosis; a lumpectomy, oncoplastic surgery or mastectomy. She was aware, due to standard training of breast surgeons, a mastectomy would mean the likelihood of losing sensation to her breasts. Most patients who undergo mastectomy are left numb and as she Continue Reading →

Sexual Health after Breast surgery and Breast Cancer Treatment

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The words, “You have breast cancer” can be very difficult to come to terms with for women and men. Added to this and what follows is the aftermath from treatment, surgeries, and loss of body parts. Our bodies are physiologically designed for sex with nerves to sexual organs in both male and female bodies. Sex is often associated with an emotional experience for many. For those affected by breast cancer living with scars, loss of body parts, debilitating changes to sexual function, self-image, fatigue, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, to name a few, changes in sexual health after breast surgery and breast cancer treatment are often left to the patient to grapple with. Our guest, Liz O’Riordan, is a breast surgeon, breast cancer survivor, and author who discusses and writes about the topic of sexual health. We invited her for an interview. Liz tells us her medical background and shares Continue Reading →

Episode 2: Blood Vessels in Breast Reconstruction

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I take you on a Journey of the amazing and complex system of blood vessels used in breast reconstruction in Episode 2. My “guest navigator” is Dr. Tim Matatov, a board-certified trained microsurgeon whose professional focus is performing autologous breast reconstruction for those affected by breast cancer. Let’s dive into to this podcast, Blood Vessels in Breast Reconstruction. Learning the Blood Vessels in Microsurgery Microsurgery is a subspeciality of plastic surgery and takes additional years of training and practice. Microsurgeons, like Dr. Matatov, perform a variety of autologous breast reconstruction using various flaps comprising this system of blood vessels. These flaps are often referred to using acronyms to describe the part of the body they come from. Here is a list of breast reconstruction flaps performed at Dr. Matatov’s practice. DIEP flap: deep inferior epigastric perforators using the tummy tissue. TDAP: Thoracodorsal artery perforator using tissue from the back. DCIA: Continue Reading →

Episode 1: Breast Reconstruction Advocacy

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Have you ever been excited and nervous at the same time? I was on January 3,2021. It was an exciting day to publish the first episode of the DiepCJourney Podcast with guest, Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo. A few days in advance of the first published episode, I sent a message telling him I was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Hitting the published button felt scary and exhilarating at the same time. We hope you’ll follow and listen to Episode 1: Breast Reconstruction Advocacy. After a second breast cancer diagnosis in 2014, Dr. C performed my DIEPflap breast reconstruction in December after a double mastectomy in April of the same year. He not only was the microsurgeon I chose, but he has also become a mentor to me, the voice in the corner, always cheering me on to “keep the momentum going, Terri”. The Continue Reading →

Perfusion Monitor: Flap Monitoring in Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction

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Plastic surgeons use medical devices in reconstructive surgery to optimize patient outcomes in breast reconstruction. I receive a number of inquiries from ladies asking how a flap is monitored after tissue-based breast reconstruction. This is a concerning topic for patients who know the intricacies of microsurgery but do not always think to put it on their list of questions to ask their surgeon during their consult. I would like to present this information about a perfusion monitor used for flap monitoring in microsurgical breast reconstruction. I reached out to Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo of PRMA in San Antonio who performed my DIEP flap breast reconstruction to tell me about the monitoring system they find great success with. The information I was given about flap monitoring at my consult gave me and my husband a great deal of comfort. We felt having Dr. C being able to monitor the flap all evening Continue Reading →