We have sent best wishes for the New Year to our social media friends. This year ushered in a new decade. Many of us wonder how things will change in the next ten years. This blog may be my time capsule for the upcoming decade. I would like to check back in 2030 to see what items in this blog will change and improve and why I can’t wait for the new decade in Breast Reconstruction.
A New Decade of Shared Decision Making in Breast Reconstruction
The topic of shared decision-making is at the top of my list. The practice of shared decision-making with the plastic surgeon who performed my DIEP flap is what made my breast reconstruction so successful. I see progress! Dr. Chrysopoulo developed a decision making tool, the Breast Advocate app, this past decade to give patients a voice in their decision making with their health care team. I see this innovation as a true game changer to assist patients in understanding and using shared decision-making in breast reconstruction.
The amazing group of women, men, and health care professionals on the Journey Facebook page are spreading the word, one patient at a time. I truly believe this is one way we can make a difference as we move through the new decade. If patients are not aware of what the concept of shared decision-making means, how can we make it a common phrase in breast reconstruction? I would love to see every patient walk into their initial consult for breast reconstruction and experience a shared decision-making conversation with their plastic surgeon. This is my number one hope for the new decade!
What is Changing in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction this Decade?
One change I have seen since beginning my patient advocacy work five years ago is a shift in the placement of the implant. Many plastic surgeons are now perfecting and practicing the technique of placing the implant over the muscle vs. under the muscle. Dr. Hani Sbitany explains in this paper the outcomes for patients result in lower incidences of postoperative pain and animation deformity. In certain candidates prepectoral implant reconstruction is yielding far better results. How will this be improved and perfected in the next decade?
The FDA warning on textured implants was a hot topic in 2019. This past decade, however, there has been a surge of data being collected and studies performed by the plastic surgery community as well as implant makers. It is important to me patients know this. With the myriad of strong voices on social media, information can become emotionally driven without the backing of evidence-based studies.
I am pleased to be able to attend scientific and medical conferences attending sessions presenting information on BII, breast implant illness, and the very rare, BIA/ALCL, breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma. I believe the next decade will bring greater information and understanding of the topic to patients. The hope is this information will empower patients to discuss these findings with their own plastic surgeons when talking about safety as well as risks of implant breast reconstruction surgery.
Restoring Sensation During Breast Reconstruction. What Lies Ahead in the New Decade?
When a woman or man has a mastectomy, nerves are cut resulting in numbness in the breast area. Restoring sensation to the breast is a technique done by some micro-surgeons during autologous, using your own tissue, breast reconstruction. Many have been using this technique for a number of years yielding great success for patients. I believe we will see more and more micro-surgeons learning and perfecting this technique in the next decade.
What I am optimistic about in the next decade are two aspects of restoring sensation during breast reconstruction.
- Will we find a technique that restores sensation and eliminates numbness to the abdominal area after DIEP flap breast reconstruction?
- Will sensation to the nipple/areola complex become a common outcome after any type of breast reconstruction?
We are fortunate to live in a new decade of exciting possibilities in breast reconstruction. Plastic surgery has evolved into some amazing techniques restoring body parts affected by disease. Breast cancer has advanced to some very targeted therapies for patients this past decade. With the innovative minds and passion to change lives through plastic surgery and microsurgery, I feel the possibilities can parallel the progress and changes we see in breast cancer. I truly can’t wait for the new decade in breast reconstruction!
What innovations, techniques, and possibilities are you excited for in the new decade in breast reconstruction? I’d love to hear from you so I can continue to ask questions and have conversations with the plastic surgery community who are revolutionizing and improving these changes.
