This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question:  I’m wanting to know if there are any new options. I’ve had both breasts removed in 2013. Had another surgery to put in expanders. Got cellulitis. Had another surgery to remove infection.  There was none there. Spent a week in the hospital. Came home on a IV drip. Had expanders removed. Left me badly scarred on left side.

Doctor says he can give me something to put in a bra, but it would look good. My stomach has bad stretch marks so that skin is no good. I have plenty of fat. Just wondering if there’s anything new out there. So tired of living like this.

Answer: Thank you for your question. I am sorry you had such a difficult time with your expanders. Usually when someone has to have them removed due to infection we recommend using their own tissue instead of implants. The skin and fatty tissue from different areas of the body can be used to reconstruct a natural breast form.

Even though you have stretch marks it does not mean that the extra skin and fatty tissue cannot be used for breast reconstruction. If you don’t have enough tissue in the tummy area then perhaps another area of the body can be used.

If you would like more information let us know. I can have our staff contact you for specifics about your situation. Thanks for your question.

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question:  My doctor wants to do a DIEP FLAP but my insurance doesn’t advise it. I want my breast to look normal so could you help me? 

Answer: Your insurance company should not be in the business of recommending or not recommending medical care, although they may agree to pay or refuse to pay for certain procedures. By law, if you have had breast cancer, they must generally cover the cost of the reconstruction of your choice, whether it’s DIEP, implants, or whatever.

A lot of factors go into determining how natural your breast reconstruction can look, with perhaps the most important factor being the type of mastectomy performed. Generally speaking, nipple-sparing mastectomies have the potential to look the very best, followed by skin-sparing mastectomies.

Even non-skin-sparing mastectomies can sometimes be reconstructed with a very natural appearance, however, it just depends on a lot of things such as whether you are radiated, the quality of your scars, overall symmetry, etc.

If you would like to give us more specifics on your situation we would be happy to help you all we can, and thank you for your question!

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question:  I had stage 1 of my Diep done in NY. I would like to have stage 2 completed closer to home as I live just outside of Charlotte. We have our insurance policy with Bc/Bs.

I had some minor healing issues but now I am doing well. I am not happy with how my breasts and body look post Diep. My original surgery was December 1 2015. Thank you.

Answer: I’m sorry you are not happy with your breasts / body now, but things often don’t look too great after stage I, so don’t despair.

I liken stage I to throwing one or two lumps of clay on the chest and waiting for them to “stick”, then at stage II we actually come back and make something pretty out of them.

We would be delighted to help you in any way we can. Our nurse Chris or P.A. Kim will call you soon to get more information.

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question:  I have an expander and I notice there are soft spots on the front of my breast. Does this mean there is something wrong?

Answer: The best thing to do would be to ask your surgeon about the spots on your breast.

The soft spots that you described don’t sound worrisome but unless we did your surgery and are familiar with your situation then we have no way to knowing if anything is wrong.

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question:  I had bilateral nipple sparing surgery. I also had latissimus dorsi for my right breast with an attempt to pull fat from my stomach to fill in (there was very little). Now under my right arm is a roll of what appears to be fat and it feels like I have a ball under my arm. Also, my right breast is so small and very tight.

The lipo attempt has left me with HUGE hard lumps and rolls that are very uncomfortable. It hurts to wear a bra or anything that has a band around me cause of the lumps and bumps. Prior to this my stomach was FLAT and actually nice.

Now it is HIDEOUS! Since this was all due to having bc. I am looking for a brilliant Dr. who can smooth out my stomach and give me a breast that is actually there and doesn’t feel like like a baseball!!

Answer: Thanks for your question.

I’m sorry you have had so much trouble with our reconstruction. Sometimes people have problems under the arm such as you describe after a latissimus flap, and there are techniques which can improve this.

What was done for your left breast?

If you wish, we can have our nurse Chris or PA Kim call you to discuss your situation in more detail, just let us know

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!