Category: Plastic Surgery

The Difference Between APEX and DIEP Flap Reconstruction

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Dr. Oscar Ochoa discusses the difference between APEX and DIEP flap reconstruction. I am asked this question on the DiepCJourney Facebook page often enough and knew it was time to reach out to an expert. Dr. Ochoa is with PRMA in San Antonio, Texas. They celebrate thirty years of service to the breast cancer community this year. Congratulations to the growing team of surgeons providing breast reconstruction worldwide for patients. Learning About the Philosophy of Plastic Surgery in Breast Reconstruction Dr. Ochoa tells us in the video, Breast reconstruction is a topic that no one really learns about until they are actually dealing with it. ~ Dr. Oscar Ochoa Before we begin the slide presentation discussing the nuances of the APEX vs. the DIEP flap, Dr. Ochoa begins our discussion talking about the overall philosophy of plastic surgery. He tells us this philosophy is based on replacing like with like. Continue Reading →

Reflections as October and Breast Cancer Awareness 2024 Ends

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I have not written one blog this month. This has been the most intense October for me since opening DiepCJourney Foundation in 2016. I can’t say why for sure, but I am exhausted and thought it was time to share some reflections as October and Breast Cancer Awareness 2024 Ends. Some Losses and Some Gains Reflecting this October Has anyone every said, start with the hard part first then finish with the easy stuff? That’s how I’m going to tackle this. The hard part is not that hard, mostly an annoyance. If you are a patient advocate reading this, it may resonate with you. I was an invited speaker at a conference. We were asked to record our presentation and listen to the other speakers for the recorded Q & A session. I worked diligently to prepare my slides and presentation. The first thing I said in my opening remark Continue Reading →

The Voice for a Community in Breast Cancer

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Many people who have had or currently have breast cancer choose to be the voice for a community in breast cancer. This week, as I prepare for Plastic Surgery the Meeting I will be using the hashtag #PSTM24 on my social media platforms to share the latest in surgical techniques and the newest innovations from industry that results in better patient outcomes and care in breast reconstruction. Each Voice in the Breast Cancer Community is Unique My focus is on breast cancer and breast reconstruction surgery after mastectomy. Not all patient advocates and voices in breast cancer identify with the same platform. We have each positioned ourselves through time, training, and passion to share our personal stories while at the same time providing scientific and evidence-based information to the unique communities we serve. It is a robust community with folks that include community voices in: Since opening DiepCFoundation in 2016, Continue Reading →

Should You be Telling Someone What Kind of Reconstruction to Have?

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There are a few layers to peel back when answering this question. It goes without saying I am referring to those affected by breast cancer and are facing a mastectomy. Whether you are a surgeon, patient, family member, or friend, should you be telling someone what kind of reconstruction to have? Understanding the Overwhelming Shock I see some differences but more similarities when I speak to women who are at high risk of getting breast cancer than those with an active diagnosis. Those who are at high risk of getting breast cancer are a those who have a genetic mutation. The first step is knowing your family history. This will be followed by a visit to a genetic counselor or oncologist to begin formulating a plan that might include: People who have just received the news they have a breast cancer diagnosis have considerations for planning their treatment that can Continue Reading →

The Rewards and Risks of Traveling for Patient Advocacy

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Let’s dispense with the not so good news first. It is far less than the good news I will write about regarding the rewards and risks of traveling for patient advocacy. The Risks of Traveling for Patient Advocacy Patient advocates I know go into this work with their eyes wide open when they travel to conferences or events for their work. We know what can and sometimes does happen. I wanted to talk about these first because they are short-lived risks. The fallout from any of the above items passes in a brief time. We deal with them as they happen knowing we will return to our advocacy work in no time because of dealing with any of the above-mentioned events. The Rewards of Traveling for Patient Advocacy This is the real magic sauce of being a patient advocate and traveling on behalf of the communities we serve. My work Continue Reading →

Achieving Symmetry and Understanding Fat Grafting in Breast Reconstruction

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This is a summary of the video and podcast interview with Dr. Tim Matatov of Southwest Breast and Aesthetics in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Arizona area. When I see hundreds of views of a video and close to two hundred podcast downloads I also like to provide a written summary for readers to hit on all learning modalities and preferences. I will include the YouTube video of Achieving Symmetry and Understanding Fat Grafting in this blog post. You can listen to the podcast here: How Mastopexy Achieves Symmetry in Breast Reconstruction We begin with a topic that is often asked about in the breast cancer community served at DiepCFoundation, mastopexy in the setting of breast reconstruction. A mastopexy is a breast lift. Dr. Matatov points out that whether a person has a single breast reconstruction with their own tissue, and implant, or oncoplastic reconstruction, sometimes the contralateral breast will not match Continue Reading →

Episode 43: The Drain-Free DIEP Flap Concept

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DIEP flap breast reconstruction most often requires surgical drains for post operative care. Patients often mention to me they are awkward, can become infected at the suture site where they are attached, and are cumbersome to hide under clothing after surgery when going out in public. This is a summary of Episode 43: The Drain-Free DIEP flap Concept as it relates specifically to this type of autologous breast reconstruction. My guest on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast has been in communication with me over the past year in anticipation of his published paper, Are Surgical Drains Needed in DIEP Flap Surgery? The Drain-Free DIEP Flap Concept. Dr. Nanidis and the Motivation for the Drain-Free DIEP Mr. Theo Nanidis, is a Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon with the NHS and private practice at The Royal Marsden. He graduated with distinctions from University College London Medical School in 2003 and completed Continue Reading →

Episode 39 The London Breast Meeting Recap

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This podcast was recorded prior to The London Breast Meeting with the Rob Pupelis and Elizabeth Van Thillo of T-Stat along with Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo of PRMA. The meeting took place in early September at the Royal College of Physicians. Shortly after the recording this summer, Dr. C posted on his LinkedIn account. He stated, “Great way to kick off a Saturday! Looking forward to part two at the London Breast Meeting!” This blog summary of Episode 39 of the DiepCJourney podcast is the London Breast Meeting Recap and what took place those fantastic days during the conference. We will call it part three! Rob Shares His Thoughts on Discovery at the London Breast Meeting I invited my guests to share a realistic analysis of what they expected to get from the conference. Beyond the travel, there is a great amount of thought and preparation that goes into attending conferences optimizing Continue Reading →

Assessing Your Decision Making in Breast Reconstruction

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Decision making is a process we use every day. When faced with a mastectomy for those affected by breast cancer, decision making can become emotionally complex and sometimes physically exhausting. Assessing your decision making in breast reconstruction can help you understand the deliberate and thoughtful work you put into this critical time in your life. First Steps in Decision Making in Breast Reconstruction This topic has come to my attention this week while supporting a newly diagnosed woman. Her process resonates with me as I recall my own process of decision making in breast reconstruction after my second breast cancer diagnosis. Here are pertinent steps to consider. How Are You Doing So Far? These six steps are key but certainly not all inclusive in the decision-making process for breast reconstruction. When you step back and look at them collectively you should be giving yourself quite a bit of credit at Continue Reading →

Democratization in Microsurgery: The Proximie System

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Democratization is a noun. The meaning of democratization as it pertains to microsurgery is the action of making training and education available through technology, in this case, microsurgery in breast reconstruction. The chosen field of microsurgery requires hours of training and practice. Observing colleagues perform this sophisticated and complex surgery increases their own skill set with the primary goal being improving patient outcomes in breast reconstruction. My guests are going to discuss their cross-continental experience working live in the operating theater practicing democratization in microsurgery using the Proximie System. An Introduction of the Microsurgeons Using the Proximie System I invited back to the DiepCJourney podcast two internationally known microsurgeons. Dr. Joe Dusseldorp practices in Sydney, Australia and is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of surgeons. He has a keen interest in microsurgery and did his training overseas to achieve this status. He is also trained to do robotic Continue Reading →