Tag: 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 →

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 →

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 →

Global Collaboration and Learning on the Topic of Breast Reconstruction

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Collaboration is defined as an action working together with someone to produce or create something. My chosen profession is education. Working with my team in school districts to share ideas exhilarated me. Now, as a nonprofit leader and Founder of DiepCFoundation, I frequently experience global collaboration and learning on the topic of breast reconstruction. Developing a Community of Collaboration Our geographic world is expansive but our ability to collaborate is only an email, text, or message away. When I opened the DiepCJourney private Facebook page, often referred to by members as “The Journey” in the summer of 2015, I had no idea the global relationships that would develop on this page, let alone the other social media accounts I use for the Foundation. The need for education, support, and resources for all options of breast reconstruction after mastectomy continues. I witness this every day on “The Journey”. I set the Continue Reading →

Episode 15: Lymphedema Treatment and Surgery

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Lymphedema. It is not a disease. It is a condition breast cancer patients can experience. Skill, knowledge, expertise, experience, and compassionate care all matter when you are seeking any treatment for lymphedema. Our guest, Dr. Ramon Garza III, is well-qualified to discuss the topic of lymphedema treatment and surgery and possesses all of those characteristics. This is Episode 15 of the DiepCJourney podcast. Dr. Garza is a board certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio who practices at PRMA (Plastic Reconstructive Microsurgical Associates) and performs both surgical and non-surgical treatment for those affected by lymphedema. We discuss the value of finding a certified lymphedema therapist. You can search the LANA website for one in your area.  Understanding the Lymphatic System When Considering Treatment and Surgery The function of the lymphatic system is to move excess fluid out of our bodies. It works in unison with the immune system. It is the mismanagement of fluid that causes lymphedema. Continue Reading →

Perfusion Monitor: Flap Monitoring in Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction

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Plastic surgeons use medical devices in reconstructive surgery to optimize patient outcomes in breast reconstruction. I receive a number of inquiries from ladies asking how a flap is monitored after tissue-based breast reconstruction. This is a concerning topic for patients who know the intricacies of microsurgery but do not always think to put it on their list of questions to ask their surgeon during their consult. I would like to present this information about a perfusion monitor used for flap monitoring in microsurgical breast reconstruction. I reached out to Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo of PRMA in San Antonio who performed my DIEP flap breast reconstruction to tell me about the monitoring system they find great success with. The information I was given about flap monitoring at my consult gave me and my husband a great deal of comfort. We felt having Dr. C being able to monitor the flap all evening Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Education and the Circle of Giving

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Wednesday of this past week, October 21, 2002, was BRADay2020. BRADay is a daily event for me, providing education and resources to empower women and men with information to make an informed decision about options for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. For the second year in a row, I was graciously invited by Microsoft to make a presentation about my personal Journey for their Microsoft Gives campaign but more importantly to educate . I left there with a full heart. This is what happened after my presentation on breast reconstruction education and the circle of giving. The presentation was conducted using the Microsoft Teams program. Since I have been using ZOOM to record videos for the Foundation, this was a new platform for me. Thomas set up a one on one meeting with me before the formal presentation to walk me through the ins and outs of Microsoft Teams. He made Continue Reading →

Shared Decision-Making Is Your Surgeon Practicing it, and Why Should You Care?

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By Terri Coutee and Minas Chrysopoulo, MD FACS I feel very passionate about opportunities to educate others on the topic of shared decision-making. Shared decision-making is when the patient and physician work as collaborative partners in deciding a treatment plan that is best for the patient. After recording a ZOOM interview with Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo recently, the topic came up as it often does. Dr. C said to me, “Let’s write about it together.” It took no time for me to agree to co-author this blog! What Shared Decision-Making is NOT… As a patient advocate for all options of breast reconstruction, I have the opportunity to speak to others who are planning or recovering from all types of reconstruction. I ask if they felt fully engaged in their decision process for their reconstruction. It is apparent to me that they were NOT when they tell me they were not even Continue Reading →

What Inspired You to Choose Plastic Surgery? A Father’s Day Tribute

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I have interviewed a number of notable plastic surgeons on the DiepC Foundation YouTube channel about topics related to breast reconstruction. This interview evokes a special, more personal feeling. I interviewed my own reconstructive plastic surgeon, Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, for this special Father’s Day Tribute. He discusses the reason, inspiration, and why he chose plastic surgery. It was time spent with his father watching the history of plastic surgery on “the tellie” growing up as a young boy in London. His profession in life has truly become his passion and it is evident as the video conversation unfolds. What inspired you to choose plastic surgery? A Father’s Day Tribute. The History of Microsurgery Imagine a young lad spending time with his dad, “a massive history buff”, as Dr. C says, watching World War I and World War II programs. It was their bonding time. He points out plastic surgical procedures Continue Reading →