Cancer

If y'all are considering DIEP flap thorax reconstruction, finding the correct surgical squad is key. Before deciding which surgeon is the best DIEP flap surgeon for you, consider bespeak the next questions:

1. Are y'all certified past times the American Board of Plastic Surgery? Your surgeon should live a board certified plastic surgeon amongst extensive preparation together with sense inwards microsurgery.
2. How much sense create y'all cause got amongst this type of surgical operation - How many cause got y'all performed? It is preferable that your surgeon has successfully performed over 100 DIEP flap reconstructions.
3. What's your success rate? Top specialist centers boast a success charge per unit of measurement of at to the lowest degree 98%.
4. How long does the surgical operation take? This volition vary betwixt institutions based on experience. The nearly experienced surgeons typically bring betwixt 3-6 hours depending on whether i or both thorax are beingness reconstructed (not including the mastectomies).
5. How oftentimes create y'all conception to perform a DIEP flap but destination upward changing the physical care for to a gratuitous TRAM flap during the surgery? The "conversion rate" to a gratuitous TRAM flap should live rattling low.
6. How many microsurgeons volition live performing the surgery? Since the DIEP flap physical care for tin plow over the sack live together with then technically demanding, it is preferable to cause got ii microsurgeons performing the surgical operation rather than only one. Not exclusively volition this ensure y'all create goodness from the expertise of ii particularly trained surgeons, but it volition likewise significantly cutting downward the length of the physical care for together with anesthesia time.
7. Do y'all cause got residents or fellows? Will they live performing whatever of my surgery? Some centers cause got surgeons-in-training known every bit "residents" or "fellows" that may live helping amongst your surgical operation or fifty-fifty performing business office of it. This may or may non live something y'all are comfortable amongst considering the complexity of the surgery. 
8. Do y'all "balance bill"? Centers similar PRMA that are in-network for nearly insurance plans volition enquire the patient to pay ONLY what's pose out past times the patient's insurance conception (ie copay, deductible, etc). Other centers "accept insurance" together with volition oftentimes assist the patient travel coin dorsum from their insurance fellowship - however, the patient is soundless expected to furnish the departure betwixt what the insurance pays together with the doctor's fee. This is known every bit "balance billing". Make certain to enquire ahead of fourth dimension to avoid nasty fiscal surprises downward the line.
9. Do y'all cause got Insurance Specialists on staff? Unfortunately, roughly patients volition expression upward difficulties inwards gaining access to DIEP flap specialists fifty-fifty though insurance companies are federally mandated to pay for the toll of thorax reconstruction. Here over again it pays to assay out centers that specialize inwards these procedures every bit typically an insurance specialist is available to assist patients amongst insurance issues. Again, this tin plow over the sack preclude a nasty fiscal surprise afterwards your surgery.

Hope that helps!

Dr C

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Alarmingly, 70% of American women facing surgical operation for pectus cancer are non told virtually the selection of pectus reconstruction.

Perhaps i of the best things virtually pectus reconstruction is that it tin dismiss live performed at whatever time….  you tin dismiss never “miss the boat” so to speak. Regardless of the timing of the procedure, pectus reconstruction enables women to experience whole again, non simply physically but likewise emotionally.

There are several reconstructive options ranging from pectus implants to using the patient’s ain tissue. Tissue (or “flap”) procedures recreate a “natural”, warm, soft pectus in addition to are associated amongst fewer complications than pectus implants.

Breast reconstruction tin dismiss live performed at the same fourth dimension every bit the mastectomy ("immediate reconstruction") or whatever fourth dimension subsequently mastectomy ("delayed reconstruction"). 
When the mastectomy in addition to reconstruction are performed at the same time, a skin-sparing mastectomy tin dismiss commonly live performed which saves most of the natural pectus peel envelope. Only the actual pectus tissue nether the peel is removed. The reconstruction so "fills" this empty peel envelope. In about cases nipple-sparing mastectomy tin dismiss live performed. This preserves the nipple in addition to areola every bit good every bit all the pectus skin.



Skin-sparing (and nipple-sparing) mastectomy in addition to immediate pectus reconstruction arrive at the most "natural" results amongst the to the lowest degree scarring. Patients undergoing immediate reconstruction likewise avoid the experience of a apartment pectus altogether. Immediate reconstruction is thence preferred whenever possible in addition to should live the destination for patients amongst early on pectus cancer (stage I or II).

In about cases pectus reconstruction cannot live performed at the same fourth dimension every bit the mastectomy. Reasons include advanced pectus cancer (stage III or IV), inflammatory pectus cancer, the invention for radiations therapy subsequently mastectomy, in addition to lack of access to a reconstructive plastic surgeon.

As I already mentioned at the starting fourth dimension of this post, most women unfortunately are non made aware of their pectus reconstruction options. I thence encourage all women interested inwards pectus reconstruction to enquiry their options in addition to try a referral or consultation amongst a plastic surgeon specializing inwards pectus reconstruction.

You tin dismiss run across existent patient results subsequently immediate in addition to delayed pectus reconstruction inwards our photo gallery here.

Dr C


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