Breast Reconstruction with Wound Healing Issues - Stanford, CA

While I haven't been through your exact situation, my heart is heavy for you going through so much. I have had 5 surgeries in the last 10 months due to failed bilateral implant reconstruction, had radiation and poor advice from plastic surgeon I started recon with which ultimately led to the mess. I ended up traveling to New Orleans just last month to the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery; I had previously researched this facility and the doctors there and knew they were the best of the best, women come there from all over the world, but at the time of my mastectomy my insurance would not cover anything out of state, so I instead started in Orlando...BIG mistake. I see your photos and want to emphasize to you that if there is any way for you to travel, you need to be seen at this center. I wouldn't let your current surgeon do anything else, you have been through so much already. CRBS in New Orleans will do over the phone consult with pics sent through email and initial consult does not cost a thing. If you saw my pics and what they fixed on me, you wouldn't believe it. My surgeon in New Orleans is Dr. DellaCroce but there is a whole team of surgeons there. Although I had to pay a lot of out of network charges, they help set up payment plan that is extremely affordable and the only thing I regret is not starting this insane journey there, would've saved me 3-4 unnecessary surgeries and a lot of heartache and sadness and time missing work. At the least check out their website. The pics look unreal, but they are true results, they deal with a lot of botched and difficult breast reconstructions. I hope this helps. You'll be in my prayers for better days ASAP!

I've had a similar road as yours. June 2015 I had a bilateral mastectomy (left one prophylactic) with reconstruction using tissue expanders. I also think that my breast surgeon took a little too much margins leaving the skin thin for the PS. Although my tumor was aggressive, invasive, stage 3 and 13.5 cm, so I guess the main concern was getting rid of the cancer. During my 16 chemo treatments, I developed an infection on the right side. I went through daily infusions for 3 weeks and the skin turned purplish. Then 28 radiation cycles did its number. It burned a hole in my boob and blistered me internally. I started leaking fluid Feb 2016, the hole grew to about 4 inches and destroyed my pectoral muscle. In April 2016, the TE had to be removed as it was basically bursting out of my chest and they scraped the blisters and remove dead skin. Went through 49 HyperBaric Oxygen treatments and still had to have another surgery to clean and remove more skin. Mind you, the right girl has been leaking fluid since Feb. I was scheduled for a bilateral DIEP surgery in Sept. They were able to get a flap to cover the right side and get it to stop leaking fluid; unfortunately, the flap for the left side did not have sufficient blood supply to make it viable. The left had the TE removed and swapped for an implant. The incision broke open two weeks later and the implant had to be removed. (I was awake for that surgery and I got to watch everything...it was actually really cool.) Now the left girl is leaking through the incision. This was the sacrificial one, I shouldn't be having issues with this one! So I have more surgeries to look forward to also. The talk is doing a LAT flap or a combination of TE and implant. Plus there is stuff to fix with the right flap using Lipo. I don't know this is of any help in the hope area for you but just know you aren't alone in this. I hope you keep healing!

I wish you luck, magic and miracles!!! :) Hard to believe what you have been through..you are really astonishing.. A friend in San Jose is booked in to see Dr Dung (not Dunh) Nguyen at the STANFORD CANCER CENTER. Is she the same person who you went to?

I did not have a good experience although I can't say it was all her fault. The breast surgeon took maybe too much tissue leaving the skin too thin. But when things did go wrong I didn't think she handled it right and even told me that something was wrong with my skin. When I demanded a wound culture she had to call me at home to tell me and I felt vindicated. She still said she was right that there was something wrong with my skin! Yes! A hospital acquired bacteria! I am seeing Dr Gordon Lee now and he is the one who did my skin grafts. So far so good. Here is his contact info. My advice is for your friend to come with a list of questions and not be so trusting. Grill the PS. You can't put everything back once it's cut off and all you can do is your best to be thorough. I work at this hospital and had gotten good recommendations and this still happened. :) Gordon K. Lee, MD, FACS Associate Professor Associate Chief of Clinical Affairs Residency Program Director Director of Microsurgery Stanford Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery 770 Welch Rd, #400, Palo Alto, CA 94304-5715 TEL: 650-723-5824

Oh my - you are going through so much :-( my thoughts are with you- best wishes for good outcome.

Do you have grounds for a lawsuit? I think I'd be talking to a lawyer.

Bless your heart! I'm so sorry for all your complications!! I was scheduled on November 23rd to have the DIEP flap procedure by Dr's. Sumeet Teotia and Nicholas Haddock in Dallas following a double mastectomy in 2014, but found out last Tuesday that the breast cancer that was in remission has metastasized to my liver with tumors "too numerous to count!" I'm hoping I can find some Prothesis that will allow me to wear a v-neck something I was so looking forward to! I'm very disappointed to say the least! I wish you the best in your recovery! God bless!