It is with great honor I present Season 2, Episode 1: Breast Reconstruction Awareness in Australia of the DiepCJourney podcast. Connections made with patients and surgeons in the world of plastic surgery undoubtedly serve the purpose of improving patient outcomes. It is such a pleasure to be able to present this information and education on a global level from this fine Australian microsurgeon who has ignited breast reconstruction awareness in Australia.
Dr. Joe Dusseldorp Ignites Breast Reconstruction Awareness in Australia
The overriding mission through these global connections is “upping our game”. My guest, Dr. Joe Dusseldorp has certainly exhibited this. Not only is he an internationally trained microsurgeon, but he is a TEDx Talks presenter on personalizing medicine and how technology is making the incurable curable.
I’m passionate about solving some of the difficult problems in plastic surgery, and applying the best that emerging technology can offer to constantly advance medical treatments and improve clinical practice. My interest is broad, and I dedicate myself to fields of reconstructive plastic surgery where I feel that my skills and contributions can make a difference.
Joe Dusseldorp
Every step of the way in his training, he focused on things that fascinated him. He recommends this to those pursuing their own profession. Dr. Joe’s interest first peeked when he saw a reconstructive surgeon rebuilding a patient’s ears using their own tissue, the patient’s cartilage. He then came to find out about the ability to reconstruct the breast using a patient’s own tissue. He states that he loves to be able to offer these advancements to patients. Dr. Joe shares that he learned about nerve reconstruction from Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, my own reconstructive surgeon. Thanks for emailing me that day Dr. Joe asking me to connect you with Dr. C. Talk about a dynamic duo in microsurgery!
Breast Reconstruction: Form and Function in Plastic Surgery
Form and function are the core principles learned in plastic surgery training. Dr. Joe tells us form is the appearance, shape, contour, color and what we consider the artistic style of plastic surgery. Function is how it integrates into that person, psychosocial, how a person fits back in society, simple daily tasks like lying in bed and how you feel. This plays into the shared decision-making model, discussing with patients what all the options are and what option is best for them. It’s a guided journey to come to a decision about what kind of reconstruction a woman wants.
Without breasts, it alters a woman’s life compared to before she had breasts. Dr. Joe likened a mastectomy to an amputation. He recalls the story of a seventy-year-old woman who shared her story with him. She wrote in her diary about getting up each morning and taking a box out from under her bed that held it in her prosthesis.
She would carefully place them in her bra. Then at night, she would take them out placing them back in the box and under the bed again for the night. She came to him one day and decided to speak to him about reconstruction. Dr. Joe states that living the life of an amputee, wearing a prosthesis after mastectomy is not something to cast aspersions about to anyone. His patient was tired of living like this, and he knew it. She was a healthy woman and went on to have reconstructive surgery.
Choices for Surgery in Australia
Dr. Joe tells his patients there are three options for surgery after mastectomy:
- Using your own tissue to reconstruct your breasts.
- Using an implant to reconstruct your breasts.
- Choosing no reconstruction known as aesthetic flat closure.
Upon examination of patients, he goes on to discuss goals and expectations. Young women who have not had children yet, often those who are having risk reducing surgery due to a genetic mutation, have been told by others they don’t have the body habitus and enough fat to do a DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Dr. Joe explains to them it is quite possible for them to have tissue reconstruction because this is what he specializes in.
Access to education about all three options is something he admits is lacking in his country. There is, however, public access to health in Australia which is of benefit to women seeking reconstruction. The caveat is the wait time. Timely access to care is an issue. He does utilize telehealth with patients across the continent of Australia. Australians are used to travel so a flight for surgery is not seen as problematic.
Final Thoughts from Season 2, Episode 1: Breast Reconstruction Awareness in Australia
Dr. Joe says he advises women to steer away from before and after photos. With such a variety of unique body habitus he feels expectations for what patients expect after surgery must be guided in person. He prefers to look at before and after photos with his patients during a consult. Dr. Joe feels it is his job to navigate the consult. He emphasized that hope is a useful thing to keep in one’s personal Journey. Knowing there is light at the end of the tunnel is what maintains that hope for women.
Dr. Joe says we all want to be doing better. He ultimately wants patients to feel breast cancer was a blip in the road not life altering event. We agreed to continuing these conversations with each other: surgeon to surgeon, surgeon to microsurgeon, surgeon to patients.
It was fun to wrap up the discussion hearing of his favorite fish in Australia, Barramundi, and why a childhood memory takes him back to the first time he tried it. Enjoy the entirety of the podcast here. You will understand why Dr. Joe is excited to bring breast reconstruction awareness to Australia.