Category: Breast Reconstruction

The Aesthetics of the Donor Site: DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction

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At the 2019 annual conference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, I interviewed Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo of PRMA in San Antonio.  Dr. C points out we often talk about the results of the breast in breast reconstruction. After all, it is why the patient is having the procedure, to replace the breasts affected by breast cancer. I agree with his statement, “The conversation about the belly is well overdue.” This blog will focus on the aesthetics of the donor site in DIEP flap breast reconstruction. As microsurgeons, skill and technique are often discussed in published papers and at medical conferences. Plastic surgery, of any kind, is about form and function. The donor site for DIEP flap, the belly, is as important to the patient. What it is going to feel and look like after surgery is essential to the physical and psychological healing for the patient. Dr. Chrysopoulo says, Continue Reading →

The Woman Behind the Mask: Coronavirus

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This is the third week I am writing my weekly blog on the topic of the coronavirus. The rapidly evolving events of this global pandemic have caused staggering changes in statistics. We seem to grapple daily with how to deal with the spread of the virus. Wearing a face mask was the most visible symbol coming out of Wuhan, China where the coronavirus began in late December. At the beginning of March here in America, the consensus was not to wear a mask in public. Now in the first days of April, a month later, we are seeing a flood of masks being worn in America. A movement has begun to make homemade masks. This blog is dedicated to a friend, the woman behind the mask, and why she began making them during the coronavirus. Why We Transitioned from No Mask to Wearing Masks During the Coronovirus The growth of Continue Reading →

A Community of Strength Through the Coronavirus Outbreak

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I continue to keep up with the evolving changes as each day passes and numbers, plans, surgeries, and lives change due to the coronavirus outbreak. I think it’s fair to say we are called on to change in ways none of us are prepared for. Here is what happened in the past week and what I am grateful for, sad about, and what I have witnessed firsthand in the breast reconstruction community, a community of strength through the coronavirus outbreak. Breast Reconstruction Surgeries Cancelled During the Coronavirus I spent a great deal of time planning for my DIEP flap surgery in the fall of 2014. I traveled for my breast reconstruction. I had to arrange flights for myself and my husband. Asking friends and family to take off work or come to help was a tough one for me. Then there was the anticipation. Oh, the anticipation! All of that Continue Reading →

DiepCJourney Celebrating Five Years in Unprecedented Times

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Five years ago, on March 17, 2015, I published my first blog for DiepCJourney.com. I felt excited and anxious. Today, on March 17, 2020, those feelings, excitement and being anxious manifest themselves in a completely different way. We are at the tip of the iceberg in the United States as we grapple with how to deal with a global pandemic, the worldwide Coronavirus outbreak. This blog will be marked as a time capsule. I had no idea DiepCJourney would be celebrating five years in unprecedented times. I had an idea what I might write in this blog as 2020 rolled around knowing it was the fifth anniversary year. But now things have changed. I want to share my concerns and gratitude to all of the amazing readers over the past five years. My Concerns for Readers of DiepCJourney at this Unprecedented Time The blog continues to grow and evolve. What Continue Reading →

Can Sensation be Restored to the Breast after Mastectomy?

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At a meeting of the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM), I had the opportunity to interview Dr. James Craigie from the Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction in Charleston, S.C. for this important discussion on restoring sensation to the breast after mastectomy. This is done during breast reconstruction surgery. Women undergoing DIEP flap breast reconstruction frequently ask me, “Can sensation be restored to the breast after mastectomy?” The short answer is yes, it can. However, not all plastic surgeons perform this procedure. In fact, it is done by surgeons trained in a sub-specialty of plastic surgery called microsurgery. Microsurgery requires advanced skills involving the art and science of connecting nerves and blood vessels under high powered microscopes. It takes the trained eye of a microsurgeon to perform nerve reconstruction. What Type of Breast Reconstruction Can Restore Sensation? Dr. Craigie explains that “natural breast reconstruction” involves using the patients own tissue. Continue Reading →

Are All DIEP Flaps the Same?

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It is a fair question to ask don’t you think?  It is even a better question to discuss at your initial consult when you want to use your tummy tissue to reconstruct your breasts. If you have been affected by breast cancer and are facing a mastectomy, I think you should ask your plastic surgeon, “Are all DIEP flaps the same? The video embedded in the blog will give you talking points for a discussion with your plastic surgeon. I was fortunate to interview Drs. Pankaj Tiwari and Ergun Kocak of Midwest Breast in Ohio to help the reader understand the nuances and differences in tummy flap breast reconstruction. What are the Differences in Flap Procedures using the Tummy? These surgeons point out the scar on the outside looks similar to a tummy tuck scar. But what happens on the inside as Dr. Kocak says, “it’s entirely different”. Let’s take Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Photo Sharing: Should We?

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This is a multifaceted question with a range of answers. I face this question a lot. Those who are considering breast reconstruction want to know what their post-surgery body and breasts will look like. I know I did. There are a variety of situations those affected by breast cancer are portrayed in media and photography. I want to share my personal thoughts, tell you a touching story, and consider the answer to the title of this blog, “Breast Reconstruction Photo Sharing: Should We?” Public Breast Reconstruction Photo Sharing The media and those in business have an end result, to reach a wide audience and to draw them in. This is often done through artistic and visual enticement. There is a certain curiosity and arousal that is the end goal to draw people into an article, event, photo, or social media post. I understand the business aspect of this, but I Continue Reading →

How to Join the BC3 Twitter Talk in Five Easy Steps

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BC3C is the Breast Cancer Coordinated Care Interdisciplinary Conference being held in Washington, D.C. February 27-29, 2020. This conference includes a wide range of medical specialists who care for breast cancer patients. As an introduction to what the conference will be about, you can join us on January 24, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET to find out more. This blog will tell you how to join the BC3 Twitter Talk in five easy steps. Step One of Participating in the BC3 Twitter Talk You will need to have a Twitter account. It’s very easy to open one if you do not have one now. Open Twitter from your computer, phone or tablet. You will then need to type in your phone number or email address in the first text box. After that, set up the password you want to use. Participating in Twitter Talk is a bit easier Continue Reading →

Why I Can’t Wait for the New Decade in Breast Reconstruction

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We have sent best wishes for the New Year to our social media friends. This year ushered in a new decade. Many of us wonder how things will change in the next ten years. This blog may be my time capsule for the upcoming decade. I would like to check back in 2030 to see what items in this blog will change and improve and why I can’t wait for the new decade in Breast Reconstruction. A New Decade of Shared Decision Making in Breast Reconstruction The topic of shared decision-making is at the top of my list. The practice of shared decision-making with the plastic surgeon who performed my DIEP flap is what made my breast reconstruction so successful. I see progress! Dr. Chrysopoulo developed a decision making tool, the Breast Advocate app, this past decade to give patients a voice in their decision making with their health care Continue Reading →

A Simple Note of Gratitude

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I was raised to have a grateful heart. I have come to appreciate this value my parents taught me. They modeled the importance of expressing gratitude frequently with friends, family, and even strangers. Mom and Dad always said gratitude should be given freely from the heart, expecting nothing in return. I dedicate this blog to an individual I have known for five years. I encourage the reader to take the time to acknowledge those in your life who have made a difference, large or small, either publicly or privately with a simple note of gratitude from your heart. Moments in life are sweet and precious, tenuous and unpredictable. We don’t always know the direction our lives will take. There are the planners and the gypsies. I have always considered myself a planner with a bit of gypsy spirit. A plan I put in place in 2014 was to complete my Continue Reading →