| Traveling
For Breast Reconstruction |
|
| Because Dr. Duffy is one of
the few surgeons in the country providing all currently available
options in breast reconstruction, including the DIEP and SIEA
flaps, our practice sees patients from around the country.
Of course, traveling for surgery involves additional considerations.
Although Dr. Duffy is always happy to have new patients, he
recognizes that travel may present problems for some patients.
Therefore, he recommends that patients first research whether
there is an experienced surgeon in their home town area who
can provide the desired type of reconstruction, such as the
DIEP/SIEA reconstruction. If there is not
someone in your home town area, the next best option may be
a surgeon in a city where you have family or friends who can
provide additional support and assistance. Our office is happy
to assist you with names of other practices if we know of
one in your area to recommend. The first priority is finding
the best option for you, the patient.
There are a couple of websites which we have found to be very useful
in assisting patients who are looking for an experienced DIEP/SIEA
surgeon. The first of these is that of Drs. Robert Allen, Joshua Levine,
and Marga Massey. Their website contains information about their own physicians
as well as others who they know to be experienced - on the page
www.diepflap.com/about-otherdoctors.html.
Another excellent resource is a site put together by a couple of sisters
who have gathered names from other patients. We do not know all of the listed
physicians personally and therefore cannot necessarily recommend them directly
but this is an excellent starting point for getting names of physicians in your
area. Of course, as with any physician you are considering, you will want
to be sure the doctor is board certified and experienced at the procedure. That
website is
www.diepsisters.com/diepdoctors.html.
When considering traveling for surgery, the first decision
is whether this is a primary reconstruction or secondary.
Primary reconstruction means you will be needing the mastectomy
performed by a breast surgeon at the same time as the reconstruction
performed by Dr. Duffy. Secondary reconstruction means the
mastectomy has already been done at a previous surgery and
you are now ready for the reconstruction.
Traveling for a primary reconstruction is more difficult than
for a secondary. There are numerous reasons for this. First,
you would not only need to locate the reconstructive surgeon
but also find a new breast surgeon in the same city. Since
the breast surgeon will need to review your history, including
any biopsies, mammograms, etc, before recommending the type
of surgery this may entail additional time and/or additional
trips. Depending on the urgency of the mastectomy, it is often
better for patients to proceed with the mastectomy in their
home town with the surgeon who is already providing your care
locally and then do the reconstruction at a later date. For
patients whose mastectomy is not as urgent and who really
want to proceed with a primary reconstruction, it is possible
to do so with traveling but we believe it is important for
patients to recognize this is not always the best option.
The most important consideration is always the treatment of
the cancer. The recommendations of your local breast surgeon
and/or oncologist relating to the urgency of the mastectomy
are very important. If you have the mastectomy and reconstruction
done out of town, you will need to be certain the information
from the mastectomy including pathology reports and any test
results done out of town are all provided to your local oncologist
for followup treatments, if any are necessary.
Although traveling for a primary reconstruction is an option,
we want patients to understand traveling for surgery is much
easier and may be better for your overall results if it is
done as a secondary reconstruction. For this reason, the information
below relates to traveling for a secondary reconstruction.
If you are considering a primary reconstruction our office
can assist you in the additional needs beyond those described
below. |
| |
| Number of Trips
Required |
Of course, prior to any reconstructive surgery you will
want to meet with the physician to learn about your options,
determine if you are a candidate for the DIEP/SIEA, and
about the physician himself. That first consultation involves
an office visit that is typically an hour in length or more
as we want you to have as much time as necessary to ask
questions. Some patients choose to schedule a mid-day appointment
so they can fly in and out on the same day for this consultation.
Because it is often difficult for patients to make multiple
trips, many will call or email with questions before and
after this consultation in addition to what is discussed
at the appointment.
After that initial consultation and a decision about the
type of reconstruction, the actual scheduling of the surgery
can be done. For patients who are proceeding with a DIEP/SIEA
reconstruction, you typically will need to arrive 1-2 days
prior to your surgery for preoperative appointments and
testing. The length of stay in the hospital varies with
each patient but is usually 3-5 days. You will need to stay
in town after being discharged from the hospital until Dr.
Duffy has determined you are ready for travel and he has
seen the early postoperative results. The length of stay
after being discharged from the hospital varies with each
individual also and with how quickly you heal. However,
as a very general guideline most patients should expect
to be in Dallas for a total of approximately 2-4 weeks.
It is important to remember that no one can predict exactly
how quickly an individual patient will heal from surgery,
and complications sometimes develop, although rarely. Therefore
only an estimate of the length of stay can be provided and
you should be prepared for a longer stay.
Once you are home you will still need to be followed by
a physician throughout the healing process. This is typically
done by your local breast surgeon or a plastic and reconstructive
surgeon in your home town. If appropriate, Dr. Duffy can
speak with that physician prior to your leaving Dallas to
update him or her on your surgery and how you are doing
at that time so they are prepared to take on your care.
Of course, we will want you to continue to update our office
on how you are doing after you are home!
Dr. Duffy will need to see you again postoperatively. Typically
this is at 6 months postop and a year postop, although it
may vary depending on the patient. Ideally he likes to see
patients regularly postoperatively but we realize travel
makes this difficult so we try to keep the number of trips
to a minimum and to structure them at times that are as
easy as possible for the patients.
|
| |
| Additional
Surgeries |
Some
patients need additional surgeries after their first reconstruction.
This can occur for a variety of reasons. In some cases, the
reconstructed breasts need minor revisions to improve the
size/shape. For patients who choose to have nipple/areola
reconstruction there is an additional procedure for this (it
can usually be done at the same time as any revisions of the
size/shape of the breast). If a patient has had a unilateral
(one-sided) breast reconstruction and needs surgery on the
other breast to improve the symmetry, this can be done as
a later stage or can be done at the same time as any revision
on the reconstructed breast.
Depending on the type of additional surgery
needed, you may be able to have it done by a local surgeon
rather than having to make an additional trip. Dr. Duffy prefers
to be able to do the additional surgeries himself but it is
not always possible for patients to do this so we are happy
to work with your local surgeons as well. |
| |
| Travel
Arrangements |
Medical
City Dallas Hospital is proud to offer a Guest Services department
to assist patients. At their website you can find information
about the hospital and its services (Guest Services), as well
as information about local hotels, many of whom offer special
rates for patients.You can also call the Guest Services department
at (972) 566-2400 or our office at (972) 566-3939. |
| |
| Driving
Directions |
If
you will be driving to Dallas, you can contact our office
with what interstate you will be driving in on and we will
be happy to provide you directions specific to your needs.
In addition, general directions are at our main website's
Practice
Location page. |
| |
| If there is anything
more we can do to assist you in your travel arrangements, please
email us at patients@duffyplasticsurgery.com.
|
