A Fortunate Collaboration

This is the first and most important step in your breast reconstruction process. So many have asked me, “Where did you find your doctor and why did you travel over 800 miles to San Antonio to have reconstruction?”

This is a difficult post for me to write. Although I’d like everyone to have the same experience I did with my amazingly skilled and compassionate microsurgeon, I know there are other skilled surgeons across the U.S. as well as the world who are geographically closer to those who choose breast reconstruction after a mastectomy. Not all roads lead to San Antonio for everyone as they did for me but the purpose of this post is to guide you in a process to find the finest board certified plastic surgeon to perform your breast reconstruction. This is a huge decision but one I look back on with ZERO regrets. So, let’s get started.

Most importantly, someone has to tell you about all your breast reconstruction options. It could be a patient like me, an advocate and educator who has the lived experience. It could be a website you researched. Be careful about the information you are looking and don’t use “Dr. Google” as your only source. I remember my plastic surgeon asking me where I found their facility. When I told him on the internet he cautiously told me with a smile, “You can’t believe everything you read on the internet.” He’s absolutely correct!

Before and After Photos

Photos hit home for many of us. I looked at the before and after delayed DIEP flap photos, post radiation, on various sites and stared in amazement at the familiarity of the before photos. Studies have been done by notable researchers and medical professionals to set a standard for what is considered the perfect breast so they have a measurement tool for their procedures.  However, in the advertising and commercial world of what is considered the perfect breast those before and after images may not meet the standards for a center-fold, or swimsuit model.  But, try living without breasts and being what I call a “hidden amputee”. Then those pictures give you hope and motivation to restore a part of your body defining you as a woman re-establishing your femininity, body image, and confidence. Additionally, if you have a doctor who is worth their weight in gold they will give you realistic expectations for your outcome. I was given realistic outcomes by my surgeon and I couldn’t be happier with my results. Are they perfect by the “commercial” standards? No. Are they perfect by my standards and what outcomes I was told to expect? 100% YES! I love my breasts and they came from another part of my body, my tummy, and have been and always will be a very real part of me!

Board Certification

Other important details to focus on if you are looking on line, plastic surgeons’ credentials. It is paramount your doctor be ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons) board certified. Look for additional credentialing as well such as ASRM (American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery). Do they have state and/or local affiliations? Are they involved in the breast cancer community doing research, outreach and evidenced based publishing? Where have they received their training?   Is it at a leading medical facility?

Team Work

Does the plastic surgeon work with a team? Is it a team of other, experienced, board certified surgeons? The reason for this is two-fold. First of all it minimizes your time in the operating room when you have more than one doctor working on you. The second benefit is shared knowledge and experience. Collaboration is one of my favorite words and when physicians are sharing first-hand experience and have the desire to work on a team it is a home-run combination. Are there surgeons who work alone who are highly qualified? Absolutely and some I researched did training and fellowships at some of the top micro-surgical centers in the U.S. But remember, choosing a team was the criterion and decision I came to for my surgery.

Patient Testimonials and Satisfaction

Is it beneficial to watch patient testimonials? I believe the answer is yes with one important disclosure. The testimonial is from an individual. I made one myself.  Your testimonial, your outcome, your physical and medical health, will be unique. If you are viewing a patient testimonial at a particular center you are viewing a successful outcome and satisfied customer which translates into more validation and accomplishments from a particular surgical center.

Success Rate of Surgical Team

The success rate is also an important factor. When I read my surgical center had a 99% or more success rate I was on board. Failures happen. There cannot be 100% success in life or in medicine. If there was, our continued research and medical pursuits to increase patient outcomes and success rate would all end. Ninety-nine percent worked for me.

Number of Performed Procedures

The number of breast reconstructions performed by your surgeon should also be vital in your decision choosing a breast reconstruction surgeon. Whether you choose implants or flap reconstruction part of your criterion should be they have performed hundreds if not thousands of these procedures. An Olympic athlete would not compete if they had not perfected their sport spending hours and hours of practice in their specialty. So it should be with your surgeon. As I stated in my patient testimonial video, I considered my surgeons to be “the Olympic athletes, the rock stars” in their field.

There you have it. I do hope the references I have linked/tagged in this article will help minimize your time in the search for a breast reconstruction surgeon. I highlighted my choice of centers and reconstruction surgeons because that was my choice.  My hope is, you will be as satisfied as I was after doing your own research. Let me know if I can help!

Disclaimer

References made to my surgical group, surgeon and healthcare team are made because they are aligned with my values and met my criterion after I did research of their practices and success rates. Any other healthcare provider that displays the same skill, compassion education and outreach to patients will be given consideration and recognition on this website.  The information contained on this website is not a substitute for or should be construed as medical advice. Please consult a licensed physician for medical advice.