POSTED UNDER Breast Reconstruction with Latissimus Flap REVIEWS
No one believes I got breast reconstruction because I just look like me. Fairfax, VA
ORIGINAL POST
I had natural DD breasts and when I had to have a...
WORTH IT$5,000
I had natural DD breasts and when I had to have a double mastectomy it was devastating. Luckily I chose to work with Dr. Rad who assured me that I could look and feel as good as ever after tissue expanders and implants. His skills as a surgeon are top notch and he has an artistic eye for details like symmetry and shape. He was always willing to spend extra time making sure I was comfortable and that all of my questions and concerns were addressed. He even answered my emails quickly. He seemed very respectful of my time, keeping office waits short. That is a rarity. He made the difficult process of reconstruction so much easier, which was priceless to me and my family.
A few months after my surgery my body rejected one of the implants (extrusion) and I was hysterical. Dr. Rad was so calm and explained how he could perform a "lat flap" reconstruction to repair it and I would be back to work only 2 weeks later. He is a specialist in micro-vascular surgery so I did not have to go and find someone new when this happened. I am very thin and did not have many options for fat/skin grafting. He knew just what to do and I never had to lose the implant which would have been very upsetting. I did return to work only 13 days later feeling so good and the scars were minimal and quickly fading. I look so good that 3 different acquaintances who did not know about my cancer experience asked me who did my "boob job." I can not ask for better results than that.
A few months after my surgery my body rejected one of the implants (extrusion) and I was hysterical. Dr. Rad was so calm and explained how he could perform a "lat flap" reconstruction to repair it and I would be back to work only 2 weeks later. He is a specialist in micro-vascular surgery so I did not have to go and find someone new when this happened. I am very thin and did not have many options for fat/skin grafting. He knew just what to do and I never had to lose the implant which would have been very upsetting. I did return to work only 13 days later feeling so good and the scars were minimal and quickly fading. I look so good that 3 different acquaintances who did not know about my cancer experience asked me who did my "boob job." I can not ask for better results than that.
shezgirl's provider
UPDATED FROM shezgirl
7 months post
8 day post op photo
Enjoying the sun at my house only 8 days after my left side lat flap.You can see I still had 2 surgical drains.
Replies (5)
October 29, 2013
Congratulations! Gosh, you look fantastic in your photos! I couldn't agree more with you that reconstruction is both a mental and physical process. I'm so happy to hear you found a surgeon that took into consideration all of your concerns throughout the process. Did you have a nipple sparing procedure or did you do reconstruction or tattoos? Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story on RealSelf!
October 29, 2013
I had an areola sparing procedure but lost the nipples and I don't feel the need to try and reconstruct them. I have scars hidden in my inframamnary folds. I have a scar on the left under side where I experienced the implant extrusion and the vascularized skin from my back fixed it. it is fading very quickly!
November 19, 2013
Seems like many women opt not to reconstruct the nipple. Have you considered a tattoo? Glad to hear the scars are fading!
November 19, 2013
I am happy with my natural pink areolas and really don't feel the need to tattoo a "3D" nipple in the middle of it. if I did not have the areola sparing surgery I would have definitely opted to do some sort of tattoo.
November 25, 2013
This makes complete sense. Congrads again! I just can't get over how great you look in your swimsuit photo! :)
UPDATED FROM shezgirl
8 months post
view of back scar
This is what my lat flap scar looks like 10 weeks after surgery
Replies (14)
November 27, 2013
Thank you for posting the photo of the lat flap scar. It's really quite minimal in the big picture and I'm sure the scar will fade in time. Did you have to have drains on your back incision? I never asked you how your body rejected the one implant? Was there infection or did it just not heal properly? Thanks again for your willingness to share. I know many other women appreciate it!
December 15, 2013
You look great. I have not had a mastectomy but I have not been able to find people who have had implants placed above the muscle. Do they put them on top or under the muscle? If they are one top of the muscle, what profile did you get and would you get it again? I hope I haven't offended you by my ignorance.
December 15, 2013
Reconstruction is very different from augmentation, kiwi6. I found this out when I was doing my research before surgery. There is no more breast tissue left so the implants must be placed under the muscle. I am glad you did not have to go through the mastectomy process.
Beth, I just saw your question about why my body rejected one implant. It is a bit of a mystery because I had plenty of skin and did not have an obvious infection in the breast. After surgery I started experiencing swelling on the left every few weeks that would be painful for just a day and then resolve itself in a few days. After the 5th month it occurred and then afterwards I had some purplish skin that looked like a bruise. It cracked open 3 weeks later and that was the start of the extrusion. Its a rare complication in skin that has not been radiated but it is always possible. My right side never had a problem which proves that I had plenty of skin and the implant size was correct. I must have had a small infection that grew over time.
December 15, 2013
I did have a drain for my back, Beth.In the pink bikini top you can see 2 drains coming out of me. One was for the breast and one for the back. The breast drain came out after 2 weeks and the back took a month! I went to work with the back drain hidden in my clothing. I was afraid it would hurt to get it removed since my back was not numb but I didn't feel it at all.
February 28, 2014
Hi could you give me more information as I am having the same problem with my left breast but I didn't get radiation it's to soon to say my body is rejecting putt skin has peeled right off the doctors are baffled and they hope it's not comi g from the inside
February 28, 2014
I am not a doctor but if you want to email me a photo of your peeling skin I can tell you if mine looked similar. This st would not mean that we are having the same experience. Extrusion is rare but not unheard of so your plastic surgeon should be familiar with it. My email is shezgirl20@gmail.com. if you are in the DC/VA/MD area I really recommend a consult with Dr. Rad. Good luck and I really hope that you will be ok.
May 22, 2015
I had the same mysterious issue. I had no radiation, but when I came out of surgery, the skin on the side where my cancer had been was purplish. I thought it was bruising and would go away. 3 weeks later, the incision still had not healed (only in a small area) and the expander began to show. Thankfully there was no pain. But they did have to take out the expander, leave it out for a month and then put another one back in. I never got an explanation except the doctor says there was no infection.
January 5, 2014
Prior to my left mastectomy, I was. 36 DDD, completely natural. Post surgery, I had an expander for three months then surgery. Silicone implant, 800 cc which is a D cup, and reduction and lift to my right. I can't get over how small I look, my surgeon refuses to use anything over a D, even if you were bigger naturally. Now, one month post op, my implant is completely flat, no breast protrusion at all, the skin is rippled and has divots in it. In other words, I hate it! I have become so depressed. Plus there is a large fat pad that has moved into my armpit area. My Doctor feels I am making a big deal out of nothing, but I see what I see! I am angry that a woman who goes in for bigger boobs comes out looking beautiful, while a woman suffering from breast cancer , sometimes, looks like a sewn together old blanket? I am thankful I survived cancer, but depressed over the disfigurement that will remind me daily of what I have been through? Thanks for the information. I am truly, jealous!
January 12, 2014
Reconstruction is covered by law under your insurance. You don't have to settle for results you are so dissatisfied with. You should be consulting other plastic surgeons in your area. There are many stories on here of women who switched doctors and achieved the results they were seeking. I am proof that it is possible to be over a D cup however if you had radiation or have other medical issues then that could certainly limit how your skin can stretch and adapt. I am not a doctor but I know that you should not have to live with "no breast protrusion at all." If you are in the DC area I urge you to go and see Dr. Rad. Good luck and please update us if you have revision surgery!
January 12, 2014
Thank you for the information. I have been thinking of looking for another surgeon, but because it hasn't been too long since my surger, I will give it some more time. But I am not encouraged that my issues will change. I am in the Boston area, but thank you for the referral. Take care.
May 22, 2015
I was a 36DD before mastectomy. I am in the same boat. I still have my expanders (this is the 6th month). I had to have one removed and replaced. So the doctor has been extremely cautious by filling only 50cc's at a time. But I wanted to go back to my original size and the doc said that since I chose Silicone, 800cc was the max. He said that with saline I could go larger but knowing my preferences he said I probably would not be happy with the feel of the saline implants. He also said that saline produced beautiful results with augmentation, but with reconstruction he has never been fond of how larger saline implants look. I trust his judgment. However, I have "heard" that it may be possible to "special order" larger silicone implants, but you have to sign a waiver regarding possible problems that can occur (not sure what that means) when you go larger. And I have heard that insurance companies will not pay for the special ordered sizes....I don't know if this is true - you know how the grapevine is.
July 29, 2014
I was also a 34DD prior to bi-lateral mastectomy. How many cc's did you fill your expanders to and what type of implant did you use? I am currently expanded to 500cc's and it looks really small to me! You look great!!!
May 21, 2015
Did you ever experience the animations of the muscle in your chest after the Lat Flap reconstruction? I had a Dbl Mastectomy with bilaterial Lat Flap reconstruction and expanders to implants, but have extreme muscle issues in my chest just flexing my arms. Do you know if your PS cut the nerve to the muscle? Trying to figure out what my next step will be to try and solve this?
Replies (2)