Posts Comments

You are here: Home / 2012 / Archives for January 2012

Archives for January 2012

Charleston Breast Surgeon Answers Your Implant and Insurance Questions

January 6, 2012 by

charleston breast surgeonsThe below questions are answered by Dr. James Craigie of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction

Should a woman have an MRI follow up every two years after implants to check on things? I’ve been told this.

Let’s go to the source of that information for the best answer . . .

This is from the product insert data sheet included with Mentor Corporation Memory Gel Implants . . .

“Rupture of a silicone gel-filled breast implant is most often silent (i.e., there are no symptoms experienced by the patient and no physical sign of changes with the implant) rather than symptomatic.  Therefore, you should advise your patient that she will need to have regular MRIs over her lifetime to screen for silent rupture even if she is having no problems. The first MRI should be performed at 3 years postoperatively, then every 2 years, thereafter. The importance of these MRI evaluations should be emphasized. If rupture is noted on MRI, then you should advise your patient to have her implant removed. You should provide her with a list of MRI facilities in her area that have at least a 1.5 Tesla magnet, a dedicated breast coil, and a radiologist experienced with breast implant MRI films for signs of rupture.”

You can read the entire product insert data sheet here: http://www.mentorwwllc.com/Documents/gel-PIDS.pdf

Does insurance generally cover redoing of nipples and tattooing?  I’m not completely satisfied with the result of my nipple reconstruction procedure.

Great question . . . Let’s address the insurance portion first. If your health insurance covers mastectomy, it must cover reconstruction throughout all phases. There are some that do not have to abide by this rule, (WHCRA 1998) but they are few and far between. Some may limit the number of times you can undergo a procedure at their expense. The best way to assure they will pay for your procedure is to call the insurance company each time and make sure you have benefits available for the procedure you desire.

Nipple reconstructions can deteriorate over time. Those that seem a little too prominent at first tend to flatten out after a while and may no longer project enough to suit a patient.  Tattoos fade, especially when applied to skin that has a large amount of scar. This being said, repeat nipple reconstructions are a quick procedure routinely performed with local anesthesia and it’s not unusual to require a touch up tattoo.

—James E. Craigie, M.D.

Filed Under: Ask the Doctor Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Dining Out in Downtown Charleston

January 4, 2012 by

downtown charlestonDowntown Charleston is a dining nirvana. You can find everything from Southern comfort food to the finest French and Japanese cuisine. Following are some of our favorite restaurants.

Cru Café
http://crucafe.com/
Quaint Lowcountry Dining $$$$
18 Pinckney Street, Charleston, SC 29401-2006, (843) 534-2434
Lunch and Dinner

Known for its motto, “Comfort Served Daily,” Cru Café features amazing entrees such as Thai Seafood Risotto, Poblano and Mozzarella Fried Chicken, and barbecued beef brisket. Run by famed Le Cordon Bleu Chef John Zucker, Cru Café has been one of Charleston’s top restaurants since its opening in 2002.

Mercato
http://www.mercatocharleston.com/
Fine Italian Dining $$$
102 North Market Street, Charleston, SC  29401, (843) 722-6393
Dinner

Voted Charleston’s Best New Restaurant by the City Paper, Mercato is noted for its incredible Italian dishes, such as Veal Picatta, Housemade Potato Gnocchi, and Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza. Mercato’s atmosphere transports you to Italy with its Venetian plaster walls, fine Italian leather seats, and 60-year-old Italian chandelier.

39 Rue de Jean
http://www.39ruedejean.com/
French $$$
39 John Street, Charleston, SC 29403, (843) 722-8881
Lunch, dinner

According to its website, 39 Rue de Jean is “a refined French café and bar offering the best in classic Brasserie cuisine.” Enjoy delicious wine from France’s finest vineyards as you dine on Trout Beurre Blanc with almond rice pilaf, Lamb Shank with brandied figs, and Duck Confit with goat-cheese potato croquette.

Wasabi of Charleston
http://wasabiofcharleston.com/
Wasabi Sushi and Japanese Fusion Bar $$$
61 State Street, Charleston, SC  29401, (843) 577-5222
Lunch, dinner

With professional chefs trained in Japan, Wasabi of Charleston is quickly becoming the place to go for sushi and fine Japanese cuisine. You’ll have a difficult time deciding what to order with entrees such as Nabe Yaki Udon and Hibachi Steak and Shrimp and over 45 varieties of sushi and sashimi, including tamago (egg custard) and saba (Japanese king mackerel).

Hominy Grill
http://hominygrill.com/
Southern (excellent for brunch and breakfast) $$ – $$$
207 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403-5864, (843) 937-0930
Brunch, Breakfast, Lunch, dinner

For some good old Southern comfort food, go to the nationally acclaimed Hominy Grill. Everything is prepared with locally sourced, fresh ingredients, and you’ll love the hearty breakfast with housemade sausage and hominy grits for breakfast. For brunch, try the salmon potato cakes with poached eggs, and for lunch or dinner, indulge in the Low Country Purloo, rice casserole with ham, sausage, chicken wings, and shrimp.

Which amazing downtown Charleston restaurants have you tried?

Filed Under: All Things Charleston Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

How to Develop Effective New Year’s Resolutions That You Will Keep

January 2, 2012 by

new years resolutions‘Tis the season to make New Year’s resolutions, but all too often they’re broken within a few days or weeks. We came up with a few ways to help make resolutions that you’re more likely to keep.

Do you really need to make resolutions?

For some people, using the word resolution dooms their plans. Maybe you should create a plan, set a goal, or make a decision.

Write it down.

To be successful in hitting your goal or resolution, you need a written plan of action. Take 30 minutes and write down what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to reach it. When your motivation wanes in the coming weeks, you’ll have that to look back on.

Be realistic.

Is losing 50 pounds in 2012 a goal that you can see yourself reaching? How about quitting smoking for the 10th time, or exercising every day? Be honest with yourself and set a goal that you can hit. Maybe 25 pounds, cutting down to ½ pack a day, or exercising three times a week are more realistic goals right now.

Focus on the short term instead of the long term.

Look at what you can do now rather than what you plan to do 6 months or a year from now. Using the examples above, focus on the month of January instead of the entire year. Decide to lose a pound a week, cut down by two cigarettes a day, or take up a new activity like Zumba or walking the dog after dinner.

Break down your resolutions into bite-sized chunks instead of trying to choke down a big goal.

Expect that things may not go the way you planned.

Most good plans have a monkey wrench thrown in at some point, and your New Year’s resolution is no different. Maybe in March you’ll hit a weight loss plateau, or your plan to quit will go up in smoke—how will you handle it? You may decide to make diet or exercise changes, or you may decide to quit smoking again.

You need to be flexible enough to roll with the punches and not feel defeated when things don’t work out as you had planned.

What has helped you to make successful New Year’s Resolutions?

Filed Under: Health and Wellness Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page