Category: Finding A Surgeon

Primary Care; Radiologist; Breast Surgeon; Oncologist; Plastic Surgeon specializing in mircrosurgery

Come with Me to my Breast Reconstruction Consult

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Yes, that is correct. I’m inviting you along to my breast reconstruction consult. Why? Because I want you to learn what I learned. This was not an easy day leading up to my DIEP flap plastic surgery consult in early October of 2014. I prepared months in advance. It was important for me to find a microsurgeon who was going to know what my expectations were from pre-surgical planning, understanding the surgery, aesthetic outcomes, and how I would be after having this intricate surgery to replace my breasts lost to breast cancer. The Morning of my Breast Reconstruction Consult I traveled for my breast reconstruction, so my husband and I stayed in a hotel. We were both fairly quiet the morning of my consult. He watched me prepare physically for the consult; hair, make up, nice outfit. I suppose it was my way of putting forth the message to my Continue Reading →

Patients Share Tips on Finding a Breast Reconstruction Surgeon

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I spent hours, days, and weeks searching for a plastic surgeon to perform my DIEP flap breast reconstruction. It was not an easy task. I learned a lot from three other patients, Whitney, Rene, and Tamara, who share with us their criterion and tips on finding a breast reconstruction surgeon to perform their DIEP flap surgery. Whitney’s Tips for Finding a Breast Reconstruction Surgeon She tells us she had time to look for a plastic surgeon because she chose to have a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy with DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Whitney carries a gene mutation putting her at high risk to develop breast cancer. Watching her own mother pass from breast cancer when Whitney was in her early twenties was instrumental in her decision to have breast reconstruction, especially with two young children at home. The first decision was the type of surgery to have. She chose DIEP flap. It Continue Reading →

Interested in Breast Reconstruction but don’t want Implants? You have Other Options!

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I was given all my options for breast reconstruction the day my breast surgeon told me I would be facing a double mastectomy after my second breast cancer diagnosis. I was fortunate. However, I had to dig deep and spend hours of research to find the specifics of what type of reconstruction I felt was going to work best for me. At first, like many women, I thought implants were my only option. I ultimately decided I wanted to use my own tissue. But where could I find those alternative choices to implants for breast reconstruction? It took me time and asking a lot of questions. It was important to me to find medically backed information and evidence-based articles about alternatives to implants for breast reconstruction. I did not find all this information in one place nor did I have access to what many women have available today. What am Continue Reading →

El valor de una 2ª opinión para la reconstrucción mamaria

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El valor de una segunda opinión para la reconstrucción mamaria es, afortunadamente, algo que tiene el potencial de dar esperanzas a las mujeres que han sido rechazadas en una consulta inicial para una reconstrucción mamaria autóloga. Tuve la fortuna de hablar con dos cirujanos certificados, el Dr. David Song de MedStar Georgetown y el Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo de PRMA en San Antonio. Ambos son cirujanos plásticos que rutinariamente realizan una variedad de cirugías reconstructivas de mama con tejidos de la propia paciente con gran éxito. ¿Qué es la reconstrucción mamaria autóloga? La reconstrucción mamaria autóloga consiste en utilizar el tejido y los vasos sanguíneos subyacentes de otra área del cuerpo de la propia paciente para crear un seno nuevo y suave después de una mastectomía. ¿Por qué a veces las mujeres son rechazadas por los cirujanos plásticos o se les dicen que no son buenas candidatas para la reconstrucción mamaria Continue Reading →

Whitney’s Story: Prophylactic Mastectomy and DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction

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Our Journey personal story takes place this week with my neighbor. It is Whitney’s story of prophylactic mastectomy and DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Whitney has the genetic mutation for ATM and CHEK2 putting her at very high risk for breast cancer. She is a young woman in her mid-thirties who very much wants to be a part of her children’s’ lives. She will be having her surgery when they are one and four years old.  Whitney was the tender age of 24 when she watched her own mother die of breast cancer. She was her caregiver so her decision to undergo prophylactic mastectomy and DIEP flap has not been easy. Here is her story. A Neighbor on the Journey from Mastectomy to Breast Reconstruction I am blessed. Each day I engage with an amazing group of women on the Facebook page I administer, The Journey. When I found out Whitney Continue Reading →

Waiting for a DIEP Flap Surgery Date

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Ruth is one of over 2,400 global members of DiepCJourney Facebook group. I am honored to share her story here. The wait for her DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery has been challenging for Ruth on many levels. She tells us her personal story and what it means waiting for a DIEP flap surgery date. Delayed DIEP Flap: The Wait Begins It was October 2014 when I received my breast cancer diagnosis. I live in a small beautiful, city tucked away in the south east corner of British Columbia. Though I was able to have a mastectomy and chemotherapy locally, unfortunately our hospital does not have the facilities to offer either radiation or reconstructive surgery. It was decided having a mastectomy would be the first course in my treatment. Opting for immediate reconstructive surgery would have meant a delay as well as travelling over 500km to Kelowna or over 800km to Continue Reading →

How Difficult is the Decision to Have DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction?

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A Difficult Decision for Me to Have DIEP flap It is very difficult to make the decision to have DIEP flap breast reconstruction. I had this surgery in 2014 after a second breast cancer diagnosis and losing my breasts after a double mastectomy. I want to share what other women go through to have this amazing yet complex surgery. Who Might Consider Having DIEP flap Surgery? I listen to stories from basically two groups. The first group are women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  It is not always the case, but the hope is I hear these women are given all their options for breast reconstruction. Otherwise, how could they even make an informed decision about their choices to reconstruct their breasts? It is most important all options for breast reconstruction are presented after careful assessment of biopsies, various imaging procedures, that should include a shared decision-making conversation Continue Reading →

Medical Comorbidities in Breast Reconstruction

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Medical Comorbidities in Breast Reconstruction I discuss medical comorbidities and how they relate to healing and outcomes in breast reconstruction with ASPS board certified plastic reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Daniel Liu from Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Chicago. I would like to begin by giving you a definition of what medical comorbidities are from the interview with Dr. Liu. Definition of Medical Comorbidities Medical comorbidities are usually chronic health problems, often pre-existing, a person might have before the diagnosis of breast cancer. Dr. Liu points out for patients who have breast cancer, coming into the diagnosis does not always mean a patient will be without any other health issues, or comorbidities. When patients come to their plastic surgeon seeking medical advice for breast reconstruction Dr. Liu points out what is necessary during the patient consult in the video. Here is what he tells us. Review the patient’s medical history. Evaluate Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Recovery and ERAS Protocol

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Breast Reconstruction Recovery and ERAS Protocol When I attend medical conferences, I take the opportunity to interview plastic surgeons about topics related to breast reconstruction. Breast reconstruction recovery and ERAS protocol is a topic I want readers to know about. Why? I feel it is an important part of a shared decision-making conversation with your plastic surgeon at the time of your consult. You simply ask, “Do you use the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocol in breast reconstruction?” Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo from PRMA in San Antonio was the plastic reconstructive microsurgeon who performed my DIEP flap surgery. Although ERAS was not in place at the time of my breast reconstruction, I am excited to let others know PRMA and others are using this protocol now. The interview unfolds as we make comparisons between my recovery without ERAS and what Dr. C and his practicing partners now use to improve Continue Reading →

How to Care for the Caregiver During Your Breast Reconstruction

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How did you care for your own caregiver during your breast reconstruction? Sound a bit strange when everyone is supposed to be caring for you? Whether you choose to have autologous (using your own tissue) or implant-based breast reconstruction, you will need caregivers to help with the following at the very least. Taking you to hospital and staying in communication with the surgical team until you are back in your room to recover. Driving you home, fixing meals, driving, and performing general household responsibilities. Patients voice concerns about their own caregivers for their breast reconstruction surgery. I want to share some tips from my own DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery. I will also share suggestions discussed on The Journey Facebook group. These gals have some helpful hints based on their own experience. Should a Caregiver Remain at the Hospital All Day for Your DIEP Flap? Spending long hours waiting in Continue Reading →