Has anyone had micro fat grafting?

pinkbutterfly:

My photos are under psf surgeries on the fatgraftpatients.com website.  Alexandra can help you join up, if you aren't a member yet. 

I actually saw Dr. K before my BMX and he did have a discussion with my surgeon (same one who did my lumpectomy on L breast about 18 years ago).  My surgeon left the skin just a little loose -- had to have the nipples removed due to BRCA2+....otherwise...would have left at least one of them on. 

I started BRAVA wear about 6 weeks after my BMX....no prior TEs and no prior recon before this time.   

Of course I was excited that there seemed to be a recon option that worked for me...but when I got those darn BRAVAS...I thought...how huge...and I guess I kind of resisted for about a week...but gotta tell you, Dr. K is SO encouraging and kind of made it less formidable by saying just to try them for a couple of hours for a few days....That did the trick....I was really worried about lots of things...could I breath ok? (had problems previously with high cortisol levels and didn't want the breathing issues with that to come back)...would they cause lymphedema? (had L lymph nodes taken out with lumpectomy with lst bout of CA in 1993); would I get blisters?, and especially....could I SLEEP with those things on??...as I was always a side or tummy sleeper.

Well...NONE of these things were a problem!!

Expansion with BRAVA seemed a little slow at first...especially with the L (previous radiation) side.  After the lst fat graft settled in, though, both breasts seemed to expand much easier for the 2nd round.  I was really surprised when Dr. K said after my 2nd round, that my R breast was probably done...but he ended up being right on target!  Still working on the L. 

Glad to answer any other questions you might have.  I found it was particularly hard when I was trying to figure out what kind of recon (if any) I was going to try.  For me that part was almost more difficult than the BMX (didn't have any decisions to make there)!

Follow up after MFG --  not sure exactly what you mean....follow up with Dr. K....after surgery, I returned home...live flying distance away.  Every two weeks, he asks for photos to see progress. 

I did make another trip down  there to have a cyst aspirated, but other than that..all was done by e-mail contact and photos.  While he is EXTREMELY busy, I have found him to be VERY accessible. 

As far as follow up from a health standpoint....I just had a breast MRI....all was normal.  I do have a couple of cysts (benign oil cysts), but that was it. 

Yes, the radiologist had no problem at all.  In fact, she gave me a CD to take to Dr. K, and I looked at it...I don't know anything about radiology and I could see them clearly,too.  I did explain to them in advance the type of recon and the tech took the time to check it out, so I'm sure that helped, too.

Dustylady,

Just saw your pics on the fatgrafts site. Very impressive! I also read through some of your previous posts, and found that you said 97% of sensation has returned on the right. That is phenomenal. It's great that dr K and your BS were able to work together to give you this awesome result. You and I are about the same build according to your measurements on the FG site. Amazing that he was able to get you to a C in only 2 sessions (my PS told me 6-7 surgeries would be required. What a far cry. Thanks for including pics shortly after the procedure - it's nice to know what to expect. How was the pain? It's hard to tell from the angle of the pics, but are you about the same size on the right as you were pre-MX?

pink- I think the biggest difference between the way Dr. Khouri does the fat grafting and the more "traditional way" is that by doing the external expansion and then filling the fat in that space more of the fat is retained afterwards.  With the other technique about 50% is reabsorbed into the body so that is why your PS is probably saying it would take so many procedures.

I'm technology challenged so was having problems posting my photos on the fat graft site.  Alexandra took pity on me and is going to put them on there for me!  I just sent them to her so whenever she can fit me into her busy schedule they'll be there!

Had my consult with Dr. K on Tues.  Plan is for BMX with immediate reconstruction using fat grafting to the Pectoralis muscle.  Find the whole process so interesting.  Dr. K says that since the muscle is well vascularized most of the fat will survive.  No BRAVA use for at least 4 weeks post BMX so that the skin can adhere to the chest wall.  Then BRAVA use to pull that skin away and create the Matrx for the subsquent fat grafting. 

Hi Pinkbutterfly,  I have a tentative surgery date of July 22nd.  How about you?  It looks like you have decided to move forward with fat grafting?  Who will be your surgeon?  Have been thinking of you and hoping that things would come together to make your decision easier. 

Hi Pinkbutterfly,  glad to hear you will have a consult with Dr. K on the 19th. I think you will have a good visit.  Dr. K was great about answering all of my questions and not making me feel rushed. I did not really talk to Dr. K about the stem cell and cancer issue since I have DCIS and will have a mastectomy which removes the ductal tissue.  Well, at least almost all of it.  I am still trying to decide if I will keep my nipple on my DCIS breast.  Have gotten conflicting recommnedations from the three surgeons I have spoken to about it.  Two said the statistics are pretty much the same for those keeping and not keeping the nipple.  The third surgeon (my new surgeon) said it was risky and wants to review my scans before agreeing to it.  So, we shall see.  Are you still consideirng a TUG?

IrishLuck,

I have decided that flap surgery, of any kind, is not for me. I do not wish to be disfigured further than what I am already dealing with. So, it's between the fat grafting and implants, or both.

bher, glad to hear that you will have those painful implants out and have fat grafting done instead.  Sorry you had to go through all of that but I am sure Dr. K will give you a great cosmetic result that is also as close to having a normal breast as is possible.  I've been so impressed with the photos of ladies who have completed the fat grafting.  Even better is that we will have sensation!

Pinkbutterfly, I can't help but agree with you about the FLAPS.  Dr. K says with this new technique, FLAPS are now a dinosaur in the field of reconstruction.   I am so happy to have found out about fat grafting before I scheduled my TUG FLAP surgery.  

BJB, it is my understanding that Dr. K will let you choose where the fat will be harvested from as long as there are no contraindications to taking fat from that area and there is enough there to work with.  I think you may also have a chance at regaining some sensation because of stem cells that are transferred.  

BJB, I also have DCIS.  I opted for the lumpectomy and then two lumpectomies later still have the DCIS.  So, now I need the mastectomy anyway.  Honestly I wish I had started out with a mastectomy using the around the nipple approach and then Dr. K for fat grafting.  Then I would not have this long, thick, scar on my left breast and I could have started my reconstruction at the same time.  Most of us just have to make our best guess with the information that is given to us or that we find on our own. Thank goodness for this forum!  I'm hoping that this fat grafting technique becomes more well known and available to more women throughout the world.

Irishluck and pinkbutterly:

All I can say is ditto:

This forum has done so much for me.

I waited 14 years for this type of inspiration.  At least it is finally here.

Eileen

BJB- I am a uni-mx also and I can sure relate to having a "Yucky" foob and a "Lucky" breast.  It has been a challenge to get dress everyday and look normal in clothes.  After my exchange surgery that issue did not improve which has been a source of depression for me along with the pain and the tightness of the implants. I will be happier just to get the implants out and have some relief.  I am hopeful that through fat grafting and Dr. K's skill that I will eventually have a foob that will be very acceptable.

Lee- I actually knew about Dr. K through these boards while I was in my TE phase and wish I had consulted with him earlier but I trusted my ps and thought I would get a decent result.  My ps told me he would be doing fatgrafting at the same time as the exchange (to make it softer) but ended up not doing it, not sure why.  My implant (rad side) is hard as a rock. I live about 4 hours away from Miami and will be driving.  Do you think I will feel ok the day after surgery to travel home? Then I would come back to Miami for my postop the following week.

Thanks Lee - I will definitely take the pain meds.  This will be my fourth surgery and I do not do well with pain.  Yes, I have been on fatgraftpatients.com but I am still trying to navigate that website. 

Has anyone on here ever had this done by any other dr then DR K in Fla ? Also, if u have have u had it done w/ or w/out the Brava & w/ or w/out implants ? Thx!!!

lizzymack1 - Dr. K did a total revision on me.  I had 550 cc implants after being expanded to 600 cc with TEs.  I had a sizeable indentation on the inside, lower part of my right breast.  My cleavage was non-existant - just a boney, concaved space and my right implant rolled to the side.  I was very unhappy and initially the plan was to have Dr. K do MFG into the dented area.  Being the perfectionist that he is, he suggested that he totally redo everything in order to get me the best possible results.  He exchanged my 550 cc implants for 300 cc impants and at the same time injected another 300 cc of my own fat all around each breasts.  Now if you do the math, you would think I would have bigger breasts than before, but fact is since he injects all the way around your breasts, the result is a natural sloping breast.  So my breasts didn't end up bigger, but more natural/normal.  I used ONE Brava dome for 4 days (24/7) to pull out that indentation.  Worked like a charm!  Pulled the skin away from the chest wall to give him the space he needed to inject the fat.  Remember also that the big difference is that the fat is injected droplet at a time.  Two keys things:  space for the fat to survive (via previous implants, TEs or ideally the Brava domes) and injecting the fat in drops not the usual "glob". 

Yes - this is a VERY cool idea and I couldn't be happier about my breasts (well, yeah - if I had found Dr. K BEFORE the implants...but, I'm grateful either way!)