Has anyone had micro fat grafting?

I am so excited to find this site.  Thanks to Alexandra-a for posting.  I had a unilateral mastectomy with TE in Dec. after completing chemo, then had radiation.  In June I had the DIEP procedure.  There were complications---hematoma and blood clots in the blood supply to the new flap.  Last Friday the flap was removed and now my chest looked like one of those dried apple faces.  My PS discussed the next options and the fat grafting with the Brava was one and he did discuss the benefit of the stem cells healing the damaged, radiated skin.  He and another surgeon just completed a clinical trial at LSU in New Orleans for this procedure.  I did have my surgery in NOLA, but not the place where the rest of the ladies did.  Today I have an appointment to have the stitches removed and have lots of questions now as a result of this forum.  I do not look forward to additional procedures, but the idea of having a breast from my own fat is doable.  

I too was glad that Dr. Khouri's staff answered questions.  I also respect the reactions of those who felt it was not in the best interest of the forum.  This journey is filled with many choices, celebrations and downfalls...having a place to be able to voice a question, an opinion or a worry is great.... 

I've been reading this (lengthy - which is great since it's mostly positive) thread and need to jump in with my story. I had a diep procedure three weeks ago following bilateral mx, chemo and rads. The surgeon wasn't able to get to my blood vessels. I had open-heart surgery twenty years ago, followed by a car accident a few months later that damaged my sternum. So the vessels were encased in radiated scar tissue and just didn't stand a chance. The doc had warned me that might be a problem, but the backup plan was to use vessels on the sides. Turned out those were way too small. So after five hours of surgery he put the expanders back and closed me up without ever touching my belly. I admit I was furious and devastated. I cried and cried with this terrible self-pity, forgetting once again how lucky I am just to be alive. But now three-weeks removed I'm so grateful that he left me with other options rather than forge ahead with a procedure that was destined to fail, especially since I've been able to do more research and learn about fat grafting and especially the BRAVA system.

Let me just say that when I first started research on fat grafting, I found a couple of local doctors (I live in Utah) who were doing breast augmentation using stem cells. It all sounded very exciting on their websites, but when I called their offices to ask if they do breast reconstruction, they both said they never have but would be willing to, and both were very pushy about getting me in for a consult. Through more research I learned that neither of those doctors are even plastic surgeons - one is an ob and the other a gp. The moral to that story is we need to be advocates for ourselves and make sure we don't fall prey to anyone looking for a fast buck.

With that said though, I asked my ps about fat grafting (expecting him to scoff at me since he hadn't offered it as a treatment option) and he gave me a little history of the ups and downs, and then said he's been following Dr. Khoury and the Brava system with interest, and has been close to jumping into training for it, but has never had enough of a nudge to fly to Florida for the training. But that he's willing to if I want to be his guinea pig. I've talked to several doctors, nurses, and my lymphedema therapist who have all raved about my doctor said that he has a reputation for being absolutely ethical, cautious, and talented, and that if he is willing to try it it must be a good thing. And now I'm so relieved that I have more options than 1) no reconstruction 2) implants under radiated skin or 3) losing my stomach muscles to a TRAM flap. None of those felt right for me, so I've been just stymied on my decision.  

I do wish insurance would pay for those expanders. But maybe something will happen soon since I can't get this done for a few more months. The one big question I still have for those of you who have done this is about internal tissue expanders. Did any of you have those in when you chose to go with the BRAVA? And did they remove them before you started? What was your chest like when you weren't wearing the BRAVA? Just floppy skin? I'm REALLY anxious to get rid of those (Oh you should have seen me when I woke up from anesthesia and learned they'd been put back. Poor nurse.) But I'm a little nervous about what I'll be left with before the procedure.

Also, I've read that anywhere from 2 to 5 procedures are necessary. Is there some rule like if you only want a B cup you'll only need 2 procedures, or is it more complicated than that? (Before the cancer I had one A cup and one B cup, so two B cups sound great to me! )

Oh, see and I thought I was done with questions, but one more. Do you have to wear the BRAVA the entire time between sessions, or just for a couple weeks after one and before the other? 

Thanks so much for all your input. I watched a video about this procedure yesterday and sent it to my sister - she forwarded it on to a couple of friends with BS, and one called her immediately in tears. "This is such good news," she said. "Such good news."  

I can't seem to paste the link here (is that against the rules?)  It was on wsvn.com - Feb. 22, 2010 you could probably do a search for it if interested.

Thanks all!

How do I access Timtam's site?

NotMyTime, I can't find the video you mentioned on wsvn.com... please do post a direct link if you can! (A news story link isn't against the rules!)

Geez, I wish they had this 4 years ago. 

I would love to be able to add my vote to the tally. I think a picture bank is really, really important.

How do I vote?

May I ask a very dumb and shallow question?

Those of you who have completed this... does the fact that the reconstructed breast is mostly fat, rather than ducts AND a lot of breast tissue AND fat, make the breast... saggier than usual?

I'm sorry for such a shallow question... but I've always been, well, "perky," and it just occurred to me that a micro-fat-grafted breast might be a bit squishier/saggier than an original breast.

I'm going to go hide my face in shame now for asking this.

CrunchyPoodleMama,

Good for you to be so brave to ask your heart felt question!  No shame. It is a good question and these things do matter to us as women.   I didn't used to think I was vain, but I find myself looking in the mirror all the time now (in delight!).  I am so perky now and my belly is so flat and my thighs curvy but slim.  Dr. Khouri moved the nipple on the unreconstructed side up some during one of the procedures (I guess there were a few stitches there but no pain and it doesn't show), lowered the fold and plumped it up a bit, so that perked up my natural breast and it matches the new one well though does still have a little sag...I'm old though!.  I suppose gravity will take its toll eventually, but 1 3/4 yrs. out things are looking good., no signs of sagging on the reconstructed breast at all  If you want to see actual pictures  I am on the web site in the photo gallery,  the first one shown.  miamitbreastcenter.com  Results from this option are so good....no scars, it is a natural feeling and looking breast and you have sensation, no need to have replacements every ten years or fear they might "pop".  Was so happy swimming lately to be so restored and improved!

The reconstructed breast is soft, but actually seems a bit firmer than my natural (old) breast....hope this helped answer your question.  Not sure how young you are...I am almost 60, so this bought me time from the inevitable.

sorry, don't really know how to get the diagnosis info etc. to follow...it's in one of my responses...

I wonder to about some of the same things....will my breast be more saggy?  Will I have to worry more about cysts/calcifications appearing on MRI's?  I wonder if the appearance of the breast has anything to do w/if you have any chest muscle left or not?  I had a modified radical mast., and this sounds stupid, but I'm not sure if I have any chest muscle.  As I understand it, "everything" was taken all the way up to my collarbone.

I think I just find it hard to believe that I will look anything like the pics on Dr. Khouri's site....gauging from where I am now:(  I see him next Tuesday & start that contraption, lol (the Brava)....that's going to be interesting. 

Wisconsinrandi,

I've been looking at your breasts since December! Nice to meet you, lol!

Actually I'm happy to have a name behind the body to be able to tell you how beautiful you look (can't even remember how many people I've linked to your pic - my sister-in-law who had one breast removed and reconstructed with an implant several years ago, and a close friend who had a double mastectomy last Oct, just two months before I found out about all of this are just two of them).

While my lumpectomy was not for cancer (the doctor supposedly suspected it, though I'm not so sure I believe that), and did not leave as severe damage as one of the ladies on Dr. Khouri's site (being completely flat-chested prior to this also made it not look as drastic), I would be happy to share pics as well.

I have the whole process "journaled" with pics and weekly updates on my forum. I'd be happy to share them, but I'm never sure if it's OK to post a link to it here (it is in my profile though). I started it because it's been so difficult to find other women, reconstruction OR augmentation that have gone, or are going through it.

I think Dr. Khouri should put more pics up (I wonder if not many ladies are OK with having their pics posted) as implant doctors do. It's easy to look at just a handful and think that those are the few who look good, instead of seeing how many great results there are.

I did just notice that he updated two of the augmentation bef/aft's with 5 year follow ups. I've been asked on other forums if over time, if any of the absorbed fat did so unevenly. Those ladies actually look better AND larger 5 years later than they did 6 months later.

Hi Wisconsinrandi,

Yes, I've been "BRAVA-free" since August 6 - wow, as I typed that I realized it's almost a month, so I gues what's here is here to stay. That is, unless/until I lose the 5-7 lbs I put on in the first 6 weeks post-op when I couldn't weight train. Not a good time to gain. I would guess that the newly transferred fat might not be established enough to expand/fill up/grow as one gains weight that soon after. But by the time you get around to losing, do those cells shrink more?

Well, only one way to find out - get my butt in gear I guess!

(If you click on my name, somewhere at the top of the page it should say "Homepage URL" - I put the forum link there.)

I just clicked on your name and saw "Send member a Private Message" on the upper right hand area of the page. 

What you said about Dr. Khouri's enthusiasm is absolutely right. It's partly because his enthusiasm is contageous, and partly your own for being a part of something that is not only so cutting edge, but brilliant, and not being a mastectomy patient can only guess how huge a gift this is to women who are. My friend has been through hell and back since October - so much so that after mentioning this to her once, I can't bring myself to talk about it in more detail with her yet. I need to let her heal more, both physically and emotionally. 

I'm definitely looking forward to talking more with you - here and there. I'm also going to post a link to this forum on mine. There's a million forums for a million diseases all over the web, but this might just be "IT" for breast cancer!

Alexandra no longer aaa,

Wow!   Saw your pictures!  You look volumptous!  You could be a model.  I am so excited for you after so many years of being aaa.  You talk about what we have been through, but you have been through years of frustration.  That isn't nothing. What a lovely outcome!  Looking forward to interacting more on the forum you set up.  Took me a little while to navigate login...but got it now.

Kimme...

 I tried to e-mail you, but must not have gone through.  I just started the BRAVA process...have been wearing them about 12 hrs day for close to three weeks....was blown away by the size of the domes too!.  But I found that I can manage ok with them...medium/wide right now.  I'm a bilateral...am having my first surgery 9/17 with Dr. Khouri.  Am getting very excited as I see my breast area expanding and am trying to imagine how it will look once my first graft has been done.  When is your after BRAVA wear surgery scheduled?

Thought there was no way I could wear these in public, but I have actually found a few outfits that stretch enough to make it doable.  I had to find something to wear because I understand that I will have to wear these 24/7 for a couple of days before surgery and I have to go out a couple of times after I get down there...need to pre-register, etc.  

I did as well