PRMA Plastic Surgery in San Antonio, Texas is one of only two breast reconstruction facilities in the country offering new technology to improve existing cutting-edge breast reconstruction surgery even further.
Plastic surgeon, Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo is a man on a mission. He wants more breast cancer patients to know that when they face a mastectomy, they can have their breast reconstructed at the same time with a revolutionary breast reconstruction procedure - the DIEP flap allows surgeons to use the patient's own abdominal tissue (just like a "tummy-tuck")
This tedious microsurgery is on the cutting edge of breast reconstruction. Unlike traditional breast reconstruction techniques, the DIEP flap preserves the patient's abdominal muscles completely. This allows for a much easier recovery compared to the widely-performed TRAM flap alternative. As the abdominal muscles are preserved the patient maintains abdominal strength long-term and the risk of lower abdominal bulging and hernia are significantly less.
The new technology now being used routinely during DIEP flap operations by the PRMA surgeons is Novadaq's intra-operative imaging system called "SPY". The key is a special dye - a fluorescent agent injected into the body during the four hour operation.
"It's a bit like an angiogram but without exposing the patient to radiation," said Dr. Chrysopoulo. "The dye travels through the bloodstream and basically lights up the blood vessels. It provides a bit of a road map for us, and it helps us identify the most important blood vessels a little bit quicker. It helps us formulate the best surgical plan more efficiently so that we can preserve the patient's abdominal muscle(s) completely."
Doctors say waking up from cancer surgery with a new breast can make a big difference on a woman's outlook. "Psycho-socially, it's a huge deal to wake up without a flat chest," Dr. Chrysopoulo said.
Experience is an essential factor for this technically demanding surgery and due to the technical difficulty of the procedure, only about 40 plastic surgeons perform DIEP flap breast reconstruction routinely. To date, PRMA has performed over 2000 successful DIEP procedures. Patients come to San Antonio from all over the United States and even from some foreign countries to have the operation that promises less pain, a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery, all with the benefits of a tummy-tuck.
More information about the DIEP flap procedure is available at http://www.prma-
For more breast reconstruction news please visit Dr Chrysopoulo's Breast Reconstruction Blog at http://Breast-
