Roman Skoracki

I had breast cancer with a double mastectomy. I chose immediate reconstruction from the nipple-sparing mastectomy with gummy implants. He was honest with me as far as size I could go and expectations on appearance. I am slender at 5’8 and 117 lbs. I didn’t have a lot of skin or fat to work with after the mastectomy. My nipple partially necrosed on one breast, and I decided to remove it - I like it better, I look like Barbie. I will probably do the other as well. I see wrinkles on my breasts as my skin is thin. I don’t want to do fat transfers. I went through a lot of trouble to remove tissue from my breasts, I don’t want to put it back! At the end of the day, when I put on a shirt, my breasts look exactly the same as they did prior to cancer. I had no physical trauma and you literally cannot see any scars.

He’s the nicest guy in the world. He’s the chief of the department, he comes from MD Anderson, he’s no slouch. He specializes in lymphedema, so if I had an issue, he’d be the best.

At the end of the day, Dr. Skoracki is in the business of saving lives related to breast cancer. He is not the breast artist working on a Hollywood actress. He works with damaged, sometimes radiated skin and ensures health. He keeps you whole. You go back for revisions- this is common. If you’re having a mastectomy at OSU, you want Dr. Skoracki.

Was afraid to so afraid to do this for ao long then it got to the point that if I didn't I would have to go on disability and give up normal life for a life of pain and agony. I am 4 days post-op and so glad I did it. I had Dr Roman Skoracki from OSU plastic surgeons and he is amazing! A true artist in his field.Best decision I ever made!

Updated on 9 Jan 2016:
There had been a finding on my mammogram that was then examined further with an ultrasound. So this lump was right where the doctor would be repositioning above the nipple so the lump that was removed and biopsied and atypical cells were found. Now I'm being referred to an oncologist for further dealings of the findings. I had a mammogram several months ago and the spot wasn't there so fortunately I went for the reduction and the spot was found observed and dealt with during the reconstruction surgery. Could've been a bad situation later down the road. Not sure what happens next but hopin for an appointment the same day as my 6 week post-op check-up in Columbus at OSU.

Updated on 14 Jan 2016:
I am doing good, only feel where the dissolvable stitches are. It looks like some of the surgical glue is starting to come off. I've had very little hands care to do. No tape or incision care, just when I had the drains. I haven't had much pain either. Its hurts more on top of my breast and under the armpits more I guess from the swelling and probably lipo. Just startiing to go a little stircrazy from being under restrictions. I drove again today but I find it hard to twist around to see behind me and some pain from turning the steering wheel too far around. I'm looking forward to being completely healed and being able to jump back into normal life with the new me and being able to pick and choose bras instead of taking what I can find and altering them for comfort. Can't wait!!!! Best choice I ever made!!!

Updated on 16 Jan 2016:
Already a big change from where I started. Yeaaa! Love it!

Updated on 30 Jan 2016:
Everything is healing very well. Some of the swelling is going down and I can tell the girls are starting to drop. I've been having to use a tube sock to pad the incision line as band on the bra is riding on it and the weight of the girls dropping is putting pressure on it too. Hope this sensation goes away soon as It is very uncomfortable. I'm having more irritation now than I did in the beginning.

Updated on 10 Feb 2016:
Im at 6 weeks now and all healed up. No more restrictions so I can back to work. I don't have to use any tape or oil as they stated that it doesn't make a difference. The incision sites have healed very nicely. So glad I can go braless to bed now. Can't sleep on my side yet let alone my stomach which sucks. I wake up hurting like crazy when I try to sleep on my side. The girls have dropped some. Looking forward to when I've healed enough to go bra shopping.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2014. At that time I was living abroad in Asia, and I chose to come to MD Anderson, Houston to receive a right breast mastectomy. I was told that all doctors at MD Anderson are great ; I got extremely disappointed by Dr. Skoracki and I would surely not recommend him for a breast reconstruction.
I met the Dr Skoracki very briefly a few days before the mastectomy. He was very nice and friendly but did not take time to really talk to me nor to take my measurements, which is a must in reconstructive surgery!!! It looks like he assumed I was a slim girl and he would not bother of my breast size and just place a "small" tissue expander. His assistant had to remind him to measure my breast to order the tissue expander ; so he quickly measured my left breast diameter.
A breast reconstruction (after a mastectomy) is a long process with several steps/options and I had a lot of questions/fears. Dr. Skoracki was in a hurry and told me that we would have more time to talk about implant and other surgeries later on. He also told me not too worry, that he would do as many surgeries as needed until I have a result that I like. Seems to him like surgeries are just for fun... I would rather have had him seriously listen to me, answer to my questions, get several measurement of my chest/breast to get adequate tissue expander from the beginning.
Just after my right breast mastectomy, Dr. Skoracky placed a tissue expander of 11cm diameter/200 cc capacity. I met him twice after the surgery for the removal of the drains and follow-up. He was super friendly, but as usual in a hurry. During our last appointment, when I mentioned the implant and bra size, he told me that I would probably not get more than a size B cup because since they removed a lot of skin during the mastectomy, he could only place a small tissue expander. I believed him.
For some family/geographical reason, I did not want to come back to MD Anderson for the filling of the tissue expander. I looked for a plastic surgeon in my home town in Tulsa, OK.
I met several plastic surgeons. All of them were puzzled by the small size of the tissue expander. My left breast diameter is actually 13 cm, so 2 cm bigger than the diameter of the tissue expander placed.
I ended up changing that tissue expander by an adequate one. The plastic surgeon that did that procedure and finished my breast reconstruction (implant and nipple) was much more perfectionist and caring for the patient.