Stage II advice--Philadelphia or Baltimore area

Options
bluepeony
bluepeony Member Posts: 6
edited June 2016 in Breast Reconstruction

Hello all,

If anyone has advice for me, I'd greatly appreciate it. I had SGAP reconstruction, Stage I, with Dr. Massey in NOLA in June of 2012. I am happy with the results and was happy with Dr. M and her wonderful staff. I was planning to do Stage II with her in Chicago since at the time we lived only 2 hours from there.

However, we moved unexpectedly to the Tri-State area (DE/PA/MD) in August of that same year and all my surgery plans were scuttled in the chaos. Now I am finally considering Stage II again and I would love to return to Dr. Massey....except:

I am the mom of three young kids, ages 8, 7, and 3. We don't have family readily available to help so it is a huge challenge to think about my husband and I being gone for an entire week, not to mention the expense of traveling AND paying for surgery.

I'd love to find someone local (and in-network with my insurance) to do Stage II. From your experience, is this a good idea? Does anyone have any recommendations in the Philadelphia/Baltimore area?

Thanks so much for listening and for any suggestions you have.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • FierceBluebird
    FierceBluebird Member Posts: 758
    edited January 2014

    Hi Bluepeony. I'll be interested to hear if anyone has suggestions. It's funny how the nola girls all love their surgeons and it seems that no one else measures up. I am in the tri-state area but I did not want to travel too far. I had my surgeries at Penn with Dr. Serletti. I did a lot of research regarding how long he's been doing surgery and read that he was highly regarded, but I did not have such a great outcome. I can't say that is his fault, I'm sure I'll never know. But there were many things that went wrong that could have been avoided. I ended up a failed flap and complications.

    I am putting my trust in him again to fix me, but I sometimes wish I could find someone else. Or at least an office that I trusted.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bluepeony
    bluepeony Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2014

    Hi Bluebird, 

    Thanks so much for replying! I'm so sorry to hear of your difficulties, especially with someone as well-regarded as Dr. Serletti. 

    I guess I'm answering my own question (sort of), but I do have an acquaintance here in Delaware who had a double mastectomy with delayed SGAP recon (she is very thin) and she used Dr. Lawrence Chang. She was very happy with the results. I'm thinking of just going for a consultation to check out his office and see what he says. I don't expect to like him all that much but if his skill means I can do my surgery locally, I'd be happy. 

    Another PS who was recommended to me by my oncologist here in DE is Dr. Jillian Banbury. I think she must be fairly new to the area--I can't even find reviews for her here. But she practiced in Ohio previously and focused on breast reconstruction. And she's associated with the Helen Graham Cancer Center, for what that's worth.

    Anyhow, that's all the information I have. Thanks again for replying--makes me not feel so alone!! :)

    P.S.--Love your bluebird pic!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NatsFan
    NatsFan Member Posts: 3,745
    edited January 2014

    I had all my surgeries at Hopkins with Dr. Manahan - I'm very pleased with my outcome and honestly forget most of the time that they are not the "original girls".  Dr. M actually listened to me and gave me exactly what I wanted. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • besa
    besa Member Posts: 1,088
    edited January 2014

    My feeling, based on my personal experience, is that if you can possibly go back to NOLA for stage 2 do it.

    I had a problematic DIEP done locally in Maryland and then bounced through multiple revisions with my original ps.  After jumping ship I  went to a much more well known, high volume microvascular ps in the area who did what he could to improve things.  And he did improve things somewhat. 

     A couple of years later I traveled to NOLA for a contralateral ns sGAP.  I felt there was a big difference in skill level.  The NOLA docs were able to greatly improve the DIEP side beyond what the local docs did.  They were also able to do a nipple sparing mastectomy on the GAP side despite the fact that I had previously had a reduction.  (The experienced local ps I had consulted with told me that the nipple would surely die).

    Yes local docs can do stage 2, but my experience was that the NOLA docs do it better.  In addition your GAP donor site most likely needs to be revised.  Most of the local ps, even if they do GAPS, are usually not doing them in high volume.

    Just my personal take on the situation.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bluepeony
    bluepeony Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2014

    Thanks for sharing, MD. I agree that probably the NOLA docs are the best. I'm just trying to decide if I need the best and its price tag. Maybe I'll be fine with "OK." So hard to know...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jheard
    jheard Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2014

    Dr. Bonawitz works out of Anne Arundel Medical Center and is fantastic. I had my bmx, port placement and double DIEP flap done in one day. I am now 10 weeks out and fully recovered from surgery. Pain control was excellent and I was off narcotics within 48 hours - my choice - they would have given me whatever I needed.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dancermom
    dancermom Member Posts: 53
    edited February 2014

    I absolutely love Dr. Wu at Penn.  She is winderful and I highly recommend her.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Donna2012
    Donna2012 Member Posts: 201
    edited February 2014

    I second the recommendation for dr. Wu - university of penn!!!  I am very happy with my results! 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Janetanned
    Janetanned Member Posts: 532
    edited February 2014

    I've heard wonderful things about Dr. Wu (Penn).  She was booked solid when my BS was available for my BMX/DIEP surgery as was Dr. Serletti.  I used Dr. Kovach from the same office and I really liked his work and his bedside manner.  He really listened and was very available.  My overall experience at Penn was very good.

    I think NOLA has a pretty good rep and they seem to be able to fix what others have done wrong.  You already have a good outcome with stage 1, stage 2 should offer less of a challenge.  What were your goals for stage 2?  My stage 2 included nipples, tummy tuck dog ear removal and some lipo.  This was done as a day surgery procedure and I was back to work within a few days.  Johns Hopkins, Penn, Jeff, each have well respected plastic surgeons who are highly qualified and close by. Also, consider the convenience if you decide you need more treatment or you need follow up appointments.

    Of course you need to follow your heart.  However, having a family to care for may limit how far you can go.  I certainly know how that is.  Good luck with your decision!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ramonica60
    Ramonica60 Member Posts: 23
    edited June 2016

    Can't believe what I am reading. I also chose Dr. Serletti, having heard that he is highly regarded in the Phila. area and also spoke with the sister of a friend who used him. I could not have been more disappointed. I am a mess. There are a lot of issues. I have a huge indentation near my sternum where he removed rib, a bulge in my abdomen and more. In my mind, I am convinced that he must have allowed the plastic surgery fellow and residents to do most of my DIEP flap reconstruction. I have no other way of explaining this. My sister also had bilat. DIEP in NY 3 months after me and she came out fantastic. I am not going back to Dr. Serletti for a revision and I am so sorry that I used him. I could have used my sister's docs, but didn't. I am so depressed over my appearance. I would never recommend him.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Janetanned
    Janetanned Member Posts: 532
    edited June 2016

    I am so sorry that you had a bad experience with this doctor. Was he able to explain why you had these problems? He comes highly recommended, so it is disappointing to hear that he caused you such trouble.

    Thank you for sharing this information. It is a good reminder that each situation is unique and different outcomes are possible.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ramonica60
    Ramonica60 Member Posts: 23
    edited June 2016

    No, he either has no answers and says nothing, or is vague. I am starting to think that he had the PS fellows do most of my surgery and that is why I have a poor outcome. I am going elsewhere for my revision.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marketingmama
    marketingmama Member Posts: 161
    edited June 2016

    Hi Philly ladies. I used Ron Lohner in Bryn Mawr. I had a nipple sparing BMX with TEs and implants. I've had my share of issues but not the fault of the PS (infection and now capsular contracture). I really wanted a PS who worked regularly with my BS (also from Bryn Mawr) and overall, Dr. Lohner has been incredibly supportive and caring. My results are pretty good, especially as my situation was a bit more complex since I had had a breast reduction prior to diagnosis and BMX. I'm not sure he has the right experience to do a flap reconstruction but I think he's very good when it comes to TEs and implants.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories