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Archive for the ‘Breast Reconstruction’ Category
Nashville Breast Reconstruction
Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a devastating blow, made only worse when it means having to lose one or both breasts. Dr. Maxwell has helped countless women rebuild their confidence and life after a mastectomny with Nashville Breast Reconstruction. There are several Breast Reconstruction Surgery options- to find the best one for you, start by talking with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who can help walk you through the pros and cons of each option as it relates to your personal situation.
Breast Reconstruction can also help women born with breast abnormalities restore their breasts to a more normal, natural state. View photos of actual patients who’ve undergone Breast Reconstruction surgery to get an idea of the kind of results Dr. Maxwell can achieve with Breast Reconstructive surgery.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Maxwell to discuss what options are available to you just send us an e-mail.
Are Breast Implants Causing Lymphoma?
If you have breast implants, whether silicone or saline, you may soon hear the buzz about a possible link between breast implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a very rare type of cancer. The FDA is aware of approximately 60 cases of ALCL in women with breast implants worldwide (Up to 10 million women worldwide have breast implants)
ALCL is not a breast cancer, instead it involves cells of the immune system found in the fluid surrounding breast implants or in the scar tissue (capsule) surrounding the breast implant. 
The FDA is NOT recommending asymptomatic women with breast implants to have them removed. If however, a woman with breast implants has swelling or pain around the implant, they should see their plastic surgeon for evaluation. Women should continue to monitor their implants and obtain regular breast screening evaluations.
The FDA and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons are establishing a registry of ALCL patients who have breast implants to better understand the association of breast implants and lymphoma.
For more information concerning breast implants and lymphoma, visit http://alturl.com/3a7n8
Mastectomy Evolution
“My friends can’t tell I’ve had a mastectomy!!” says a recent breast cancer survivor.
Look how far we’ve come in the evolution of mastectomies.
In the late 1800s, breast cancer was treated by not only removing the breast, but also removing the underlying muscles and most of the axillary contents, leaving behind an extremely disfiguring defect. Over the years, we have evolved to sparing many of the anatomic breast landmarks… and there’s a promising new trend: removing the entire breast, but keeping all the skin, areola and the nipple! In fact, when performing this type of mastectomy followed by implant reconstruction, the resulting breast looks very much like a cosmetic breast augmentation, with only a small inframammary scar! UNBELIEVEABLE!!! This type of mastectomy is termed nipple sparing, although proper nomenclature should really be nipple-areola-complex preserving mastectomy since the areola is also spared, not to be confused with skin sparing mastectomies which takes the entire nipple and areola.
So who qualifies for this type of mastectomy?? The answer is not simple and is highly variable from surgeon to surgeon. We unfortunately do not have a lot of long term data, but factors that are currently being considered include the tumor size, its location, its distance from the nipple-areola complex and whether its HER2 positive.
The improved cosmesis with this type of mastectomy must not compromise a safe oncologic outcome. A biopsy at the base of the nipple is taken at the time of mastectomy and sent for both frozen and permanent section. It has a good (80%) sensitivity and 96% negative predictive value, such that if the biopsy comes back negative, you can be reassured that your nipple is free of cancer involvement. Long term studies on recurrence rates are lacking, but short term follow up studies show no increased risk of local recurrence.
The nipple-areola-complex preserving mastectomy may be a great choice for risk reduction, especially in gene (BRCA) positive patients. We look forward to long term studies and the continued improvements in quality of life for breast cancer patients and those women at high risk. Check out our website for before/after pictures of implant reconstruction after nipple-areola-complex sparing mastectomies. www.maxwellaesthetics.com
Dr. Kristina O’Shaughnessy, M.D, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Maxwell Aesthetics, Nashville, TN
“I have cancer, now what?”
“You have breast cancer.” You heard your doctor say these words, but somehow you can’t quite grasp the idea. You lay awake in bed that night, your head swimming with questions. “What about my kids? What about my job? ”. Your mind is going a mile a minute. “What about my husband? What about our sex life? Will I be disfigured?” And the worst of all: “Am I going to die?” You cry yourself to sleep.
This is a common reaction to an all too common diagnosis. But, support is out there, options are numerous, and knowledge is your best friend. Your personal story of diagnosis, treatment and outcome will be unique, but each step in the process occurs along a common algorithm. This is what you need to do.
- See your breast surgeon. Depending on the size and type of tumor you have, you will require a mastectomy which is complete removal of the breast or lumpectomy which is partial removal of the breast, termed breast conservation therapy. You will discuss lymph node sampling.
- See a reconstructive surgeon regardless of whether you and your surgeon decide on mastectomy or breast conservation.
- See an oncologist. Your treatment will depend on your pathology report. You may have to receive chemotherapy and/or radiation. Additionally, some patients will continue hormone therapy after their active treatment.
- See a radiation oncologist. Radiation therapy for breast cancer may be used after lumpectomy or mastectomy, alone or in combination with chemotherapy.
So how long does all this take? It depends on your exact treatment and type of reconstruction. Typical treatment with surgery, reconstruction, chemotherapy and/or radiation can take approximately 6 months to one year. Return for further discussions on treatment options and tips on how to emotionally tackle this difficult year.
Kristina O’Shaughnessy, M.D, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Maxwell Aesthetics
Dr. Pat Maxwell on PBS: Breast Reconstruction After Breast Cancer
Look for your favorite Nashville Plastic Surgeon Dr. Pat Maxwell on PBS!
Dr. Maxwell is featured discussing Breast Cancer and Breast Reconstruction. He is a pioneer and world leader in the field of breast reconstruction, having worked for years with patients and patient support groups as an advocate for offering them the choice of breast reconstruction. He has worked with general surgeons, oncologic breast surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation therapists in creating a team approach to individualized breast care. He has developed the devices, the operations, and the concepts that comprise “Oncoplastic Breast Surgery” as a means of improving patient outcomes.
Check local listings to see Nashville Breast Reconstruction Surgeon Dr. Maxwell!
