Category: Podcast

Credibility in the Noise – Social Media, Breast Reconstruction, and Your Experience

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What social media platforms do you use to find information about breast reconstruction? Is it TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube? This interview summary with Dr. Andrew Gassman of PRMA in San Antonio is about finding credibility in the noise – social media, breast reconstruction, and your experience. Dr. Gassman’s Interest in How Patients are Utilizing Social Media for Breast Reconstruction Dr. Andrew Gassman is a highly skilled and capable individual who knows DIEP flap breast reconstruction well. He joined the group at PRMA in January of 2021 and works with nine other microsurgeons who primarily perform autologous breast reconstruction for those affected by breast cancer. Before his time at PRMA he spent several years as an associate professor teaching future surgeons advanced breast reconstruction technique. He continues to be an active researcher. Our conversation addresses his interest in how patients want to chat, how to reach more people to offer Continue Reading →

A Breast Cancer Patient Intent on Finding Access to Care

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Access to medical care for those affected by breast cancer is crucial, and often life transformative. This is a personal story of a breast cancer patient intent on finding access to care. She is a woman of strength and stopped at nothing to find the best care available for her during her personal journey from diagnosis to recovery from DIEP flap breast reconstructive surgery. I am pleased to offer this summary of the DiepCJourney podcast. Dana’s Diagnosis and Breast Cancer Treatment Dana Brown, PhD., is a 54-year-old wife, mother, and educator. She has been married to her best friend and soulmate for 35 years and they have an amazing son who is twenty-six. Recently, after 30 years in education, after much consideration with her husband, Dana decided to retire. This decision was made based on the reason she is sharing her story with you on the podcast about how she Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Surgery In New Orleans at CRBS

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Have you searched endlessly perhaps days and weeks, for a microsurgeon to perform breast reconstruction? Access to care is a real concern for patients who are affected by breast cancer. Finding a plastic surgeon who specializes in tissue reconstruction in the area you live in is not always a service afforded to all patients. Traveling for breast reconstruction is not out of the ordinary. It was something I did myself for my DIEP flap. This is a summary of the DiepCJourney podcast. I interview one such surgeon and practice breast cancer patients travel as we discuss Breast Reconstruction Surgery In New Orleans at CRBS, the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery. Why Dr. Zafar chose Microsurgery and Breast Reconstruction I interview Dr. Sarosh Zafar, a double board-certified microsurgeon in plastic and reconstructive surgery and general surgery. She specializes in the most advanced methods of breast reconstruction, complex reconstruction, and microsurgery. She Continue Reading →

A Patient Story: Transitioning from Implants to DIEP Flap

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Whether you have had a breast cancer diagnosis, have a genetic mutation placing you at high risk of getting breast cancer, have had or are facing a mastectomy due to either of these situations you will want to listen to this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast, A Patient Story: Transitioning from Implants to DIEP Flap. The time has come to share a personal story of a woman I interviewed twice about her decision to have a prophylactic mastectomy and implant reconstruction. This is the continuation of her Journey. She came to a decision to exchange the implants she never quite felt comfortable in and transition to DIEP flap breast reconstruction and use her own tissue this time around. An Unexpected DIEP Flap Reunion with a Friend Margaret Tueller Proffitt has a delightful Instagram account and describes herself as a lover of books, learning and travel. She is a Mom to four, Continue Reading →

The Value of the Co-Surgeon Model in Breast Reconstruction

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This episode of the DiepCJourney podcast covers two very important topics. It includes the value of the co-surgeon model in microvascular breast reconstruction. We will also tackle a subject matter I am not an expert on but have a great deal of experience in. I will admit it is an uncomfortable topic for me because I am not an expert. The topic is insurance coverage in breast reconstruction. I want to say that I have NOT come to understand the complexities of insurance but have gained a great deal of empathy for those in the breast cancer community who deal with these complexities, and that includes patients and surgeons. My guest, Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, discusses the value of the co-surgeon model in breast reconstruction and insurance coverage concerns. Why this Topic and Why Now? I have chosen this topic not to appear to be controversial. It is a topic that Continue Reading →

Episode 51: Lymphedema Treatment and Surgery for Breast Cancer Patients

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March 1, 2024, was the first day of lymphedema awareness month. We hope you will share this information with the embedded podcast in your community for breast cancer patients affected by lymphedema providing them with the resources needed to treat this condition and let them know there are specialists in surgical treatment options as well. I am pleased to provide this summary of Episode 51: Lymphedema Treatment and Surgery for Breast Cancer Patients. A Specialist in the Field of Lymphedema Treatment My guest is Dr. Charles Anton Fries, Chief of Plastic Surgery and faculty surgeon at UT Health San Antonio and works as a microsurgeon with the team at PRMA, Plastic Reconstructive Microsurgical Associates, in San Antonio. The management of lymphedema has seen significant improvement in the past few years. We will educate, dispel some fears surrounding the possible occurrence of lymphedema, and bring you some resources for care. The Continue Reading →

Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of BIA/ALCL

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Any surgery is not without risks. Using a medical device like a breast implant is no different. This is the focus of our discussion in a summary of the DiepCJourney podcast, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of BIA/ALCL. Four million women across the globe have undergone breast augmentation using a medical device called a breast implant. This is done for reasons such as cosmesis or enhancement of the breast, trauma to the chest wall or for oncological reasons, meaning for breast cancer and the breast implant is used to replace breast tissue affected by or lost due to these two reasons, breast cancer or chest wall trauma. Meet A Leading Expert in the Field I talked to a leading expert in the field about the medical definition of breast implant associated (BIA) anaplastic large cell lymphoma, an uncommon form of ALCL. I interviewed Mark Clemens, MD, MBA, FACS. After receiving his 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 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 →

Episode 4: Freudenspanne, the Real Reason We Want to Live Longer

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I recorded Episode 4: Freudenspanne, the Real Reason We Want to Live Longer, in February of 2022. But I came to realize how timely this interview is as I prepare to attend the London Breast Meeting 2023. I have been asked to speak on a topic closely related to what my podcast guest, Zack Varkaris and I chat about.   I have been asked to speak on the topic of the impact of lifestyle factors on breast cancer risk and survivorship: nutrition, exercise and beyond. As I listened to this podcast again while on the elliptical today, it truly resonates with me as I prepare to leave for London. So much of what Zack speaks about, finding joy in life, healthy eating, exercise, who we connect with, our lifestyle choices, is pertinent to the importance of embracing these choices in breast cancer survivorship. How I Learned to Embrace the Philosophy of Continue Reading →