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hjoyy's avatar
hjoyy
Member
14 years ago

Wondering....

Hi Everyone,

This is my first ever post on this website! I decided to join up because I have been encouraged by your posts and would love some advice about future reconstruction options.

I am 37 and was diagnosed with early breast cancer on 5th August 2011. Left mastectomy followed, then four rounds of chemo, and I am scheduled to start radio on 16th January 2012. I currently have a tissue expander in which looks great, but sometime next year I was thinking I would like to have the TRAM, but during my reading about it the DIEP kept coming up, and I think I prefer that to the TRAM now. I don't speak to a plastic surgeon until the end of Jan.

A few questions: Has anyone had Dr Megan Hassall as their plastic surgeon? What is the recovery time like for the DIEP. What is the abdominal scar like from the DIEP?

I look forward to hearing from you all soon!

hjoyy

 

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  • Chris's avatar
    Chris
    Member
    14 years ago
    Hi Hjoyy, Dr Meagan Hassell is very good and comes highly recommended. I have seen her work on one of my friends, and her new breast so good. She had it done about 6 years ago. I have also seen another bilateral job on someone else, at a cancer meeting, and again, the results were excellent. Meagan is very hard to get in to see. I had an appointment to see her, and had to wait over 5 months. I ended up cancelling this appointment when I disvovered that she only does the TRAM, and not the DIEP. Neither of these 2 ladies had any muscle problems though. The surgeon who I saw who seems really good is Professor David Pennington at RPA and Strathfield. He has an excellent web site, so google him. He seemed so nice and very confident about this type of surgery, and again, I have seen his work first hand, and it is excellent. I ended up having tissue expanders as I haven't had radiotherapy, and ended up having both breasts removed, so much easier to match up. Good luck with your search. Love Chris xx
  • Joy_K's avatar
    Joy_K
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi hjoyy

    Both the TRAM and the DIEP are major operations and both require you to have enough abdominal fat to transfer. I have not had a reconstruction but have been on a research focus group for it. The major difference is that the TRAM has muscle, skin and fat transferred while the DIEP only has fat and skin. There is a much reduced risk for future problems in the abdomen with the DIEP as no muscles are cut/removed. Both operations leave a scar across the abdomen but there is a sticky support strip that you can place over the incision line (once it is healed) to prevent keloid scarring, ask your PS about this.

    With love

    Joy K

  • Joy_K's avatar
    Joy_K
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi hjoyy

    Both the TRAM and the DIEP are major operations and both require you to have enough abdominal fat to transfer. I have not had a reconstruction but have been on a research focus group for it. The major difference is that the TRAM has muscle, skin and fat transferred while the DIEP only has fat and skin. There is a much reduced risk for future problems in the abdomen with the DIEP as no muscles are cut/removed. Both operations leave a scar across the abdomen but there is a sticky support strip that you can place over the incision line (once it is healed) to prevent keloid scarring, ask your PS about this.

    With love

    Joy K

  • hjoyy's avatar
    hjoyy
    Member
    14 years ago

    Thanks Julia for the name, I'll have a look. I am in Sydney. Are you about to have this reconstruction too?

    Regards, Heather

     

  • Julia44's avatar
    Julia44
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi,

    Just writing something about this elsewhere....

    my radiation oncologist recommended Dr Harvey Stern, plastic surgeon- this is in Sydney.  Today my surgeon also suggested Dr Stern.  He does the DIEP flap which my surgeon says he thinks would be the go for me.

    If you are not in Sydney, ask around your other health professionals that are treating you as I think they often see the work of all the surgeons.

    Good Luck,

    Julia