State of the Art Procedures

I have been fortunate to treat many women in all walks of life.  Because breast cancer is so prevalent (1/8 Lifetime Chance), I have treated women for breast reconstruction after breast cancer treatment.  Breast deformity can occur after lumpectomy and radiation, and of course, after mastectomy (complete removal of the breast).  Losing breast tissue is a great loss and there are newer, more advanced ways to reconstruct the breast.

There are several ways to reconstruct the breast after mastectomy for breast cancer. The two main categories are 1. Implant (silicone gel, tissue expansion, saline) 2. Autologous Tissue (your own body tissues). There are advantages and disadvantages with both types, however, as a reconstructive plastic surgeon, I have a bias toward using your own natural tissues (Autologous Tissue) to create the most natural and long lasting breast mound. Plastic Surgery has evolved now to the point where we can take blocks of tissue from another part of the body and “transplant” them elsewhere to reconstruct another part. This ability to move these blocks of tissue hinges specifically on the ability of the surgeon to transplant this block of tissue on blood vessles and nerves, and “reconnecting” them to the new area. This is very similar to the concept of organ transplanation where the kidney or heart is reconnected to the body on their main blood vessels.

Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction is a technique that has become available in the past 20 years, and recently further refined by dedicated plastic surgeons to move highly specific blocks of tissue (mainly abdominal, butocks, and thigh–skin and fat–on an artery and vein), and transplant them to the breast area. Because of the technical expertise required to perform this operation, only a few plastic surgeons perform these operations on a regular basis.  This has created a demand to find surgeons who can provide optimal outcomes for breast reconstruction.     Microsurgical breast reconstruction has become synonymous now with the terms DIEP flap, SIEA, GAP, and TUG flaps. These are “perforator” flaps which are technical terms for the same concept of “transplanting” tissue blocks.  These types of operations allow for the ultimate trade off:  Tummy Tuck to make a Breast.  In the past, muscle was taken from these areas, but techniques have been refined where minimal muscle is disturbed.

In the race for the cure, it is good to know that there are new and advanced techniques to treat the breast after breast cancer.  Please feel free to contact me directly or check out my website and blogs for more information.

 

Best regards,

 

 

Charles K. Lee, MD, FACS

Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery–

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Director of Microsurgery & Wound Reconstruction–

St.Mary’s Medical Center, San Francisco

Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery

 

L plastic surgery – Form and Function

2250 Hayes Street, Suite #508

San Francisco, California  94117

Office: 415.933.8330  Fax: 415.933.8292

Email: Lplasticsurgery@gmail.com

Website: www.Lplasticsurgery.com