DC Metro area

What type of reconstruction do you want (basically implants or flap)?  Plastic surgeons often recommend the type of reconstruction they are technically able to do.   It I best to go to someone who is skilled in doing the type of reconstruction you want.

Glad I found this thread.  I have also been looking for a PS in the DC area who specialises in DIEP & Tram reconstruction.  For reconstruction with implants I am told that Dr Joanne Lennert at GW is very good.  I prefer DIEP flap but am not sure am a good candidate (lost a lot of weight)  - will find out when I meet with a PS in Georgetown University Hospital later today.

High volume DIEP surgeons (who have been doing microvascular surgery for a long time)  in the DC metro area are Maruice Nahabedian a Georgetown and Bernard Chang at Mercy.  (I have been told that Nahabedian does nipple sparing but am not sure if Bernard Chang does..)  If you don't have enough tissue for DIEP, sGAP is another option but you may have to travel if you want to go to someone who is doing sGAP in very high volume.

I'm in the DC area.  Two top local breast surgeons in the area referred me to Jim Bruno for implant reconstruction.  I was also referred to Maurice Nahabedian because I was interested in DIEP flap.  Both Bruno and Nahabedian were wonderful during the consultation, but both believe that I am too thin for DIEP flap.  Other than traveling to NYC to meet with an SGAP specialist, I will likely do the implant surgery shortly with Dr. Bruno.  Two other names mentioned to me were Bernard Chang if I wanted a local SGAP done and Steve Davison for implants.  A very meticulous and picky friend used Davison for implant reconstruction years ago and is very satisfied.  Two friends used the Bruno/Brown practice several years ago for implants and were equally satisfied.

besa - thanks so much for the book recommendation.  I am such a loss as to how to pick a good surgeon.  I have two friends who have had total nightmares with their reconstruction so I am very anxious about this.  I don't even care about perfect results as much as I just don't want complications and a botch job.  I am really glad I found this thread.  

srdc2013 you may want to talk to Dr Ariel Rad. He specializes in reconstruction and sees patients throughout DC area. I'm still very early in my reconstruction but very happy with him so far. He's incredibly meticulous and has a very nice bedside manner. Good luck!

srcd- So wonderful  to hear that you found skilled doctors that you like!  Glad to know you found "The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook" very helpful.  (I feel if I had know of this book and read this before my first reconstructive surgery I would have prevented many of the very difficult problems I faced.)

If you are looking for someone DC based  I know folks who have had very good experiences with Dr. Coleman Brown, Dr. Joanne Lenert, Dr. Elizabeth Marshall, Dr. Samir Rao and Dr. Mark Venturi (though he is out near Tysons).  Dr. Rao and Venturi practice at Georgtown, Drs. Lenert and Marshall at GWU.  Drs. Coleman and Marshall at Sibley.

I have a colleague who had a very bad reconstructive result with Dr. Nahabedian and one had a very bad consultation with Dr. Spear. 

Oh, and you can PM me and I'll share the name of my PS and my experience. It's just I'm still a patient and prefer not to name my docs until I'm completely through the process. Call me crazy--others have

I went with recommendations of friends and my oncologist. You can also check out their websites to see the type of office and the vibe. I visited with several and knew who I clicked with and who I didn't. The PS can recommend surgeons or vice versa. They all have ones they work with. Different doctors require different hospital stays too. Mine just had me in 1 night. 

very easy . Top notch oncologist-surgeon works only with the best plastic surgeons.  Must give you three or four plastic surgeons for the second opinion. My Dr. Cocilovo gave me three. I can compare Dr. Nahabedian and Dr. Ariel Rad - both of them highly experienced! But the difference is huge. Nahabedian has a long line in the waiting room, he can attend for you only 50% of the visit time and another 50% you will speak with his Student, he will not read your diagnose before the visit and he will not be ready to offer to you different options. Instead of that he will ask you that would you like to do? He is old and looks tired from many patients and you will be for him  just one more patient. He finally told me that I will have a lot of scars on my body.... no options.

Dr Rad - is very personal. No students, always prepare to speak with you! Can easily provide excellent options and always can see you as a woman and as a human. Also he can do the most difficult Sergery just to achieve the result !!! Every thing under his personal control !  Finally he made my body incredibly attractive because of CANCER. 

Sorry for my English. 

Dr. Nahabedian works out of Medstar Georgetown. Yes, he is very busy.  He shares office space with all of the plastic surgeons.  The long line of patients is not waiting just waiting for him.   They have an office suite at the hospital and one in Northern Virginia. I have never seen medical students in the office.  I have seen medical students on the floor and in the surgical suite.  The young people in the offices are typically residents.  The residents that help with the surgeries are surgical residents.  They also have a plastic surgery fellow on board who is specializing in breast reconstruction.  I also had a consult with him and found him very pleasant and informative. My breast surgeon had already given me a lot of info and explained my options.   Therefore, I asked very specific questions.  I knew what type of surgery I wanted.  

All doctors will usually give referrals for someone they know.  It is up to you to check around the find that surgeon that is right for you.  

Dr. Nahabedian did minor revisions on my problematic DIEP (surgery was originally done by another local PS.)  Because I had issues with my initial reconstruction I was willing to allow residents to observe my surgery but did not want them to participate.  Dr. Nahabedian agreed to accommodate me.    I felt he wanted me to be comfortable..( I later went to NOLA for a contralateral prophylactic sGAP and more extensive revisions on the DIEP side. )

I strongly agree with GwennyMD - we need to research physicians ourselves.   I do not want to depend solely on a single physician referral or even the recommendations of physicians practicing out of the same hospital.

My recent personal experience -I have been seeing the same MO for almost 7 years.  I like her and she is a good fit for me.  I have followed her through a number of medical practices without issue.  She currently works for a very large group practice associated with a DC metro area teaching hospital.  She just told me she is leaving.  As in the past, I asked her where she was going.  I was told that she was not allowed to give me that information because her current contract forbids it.  It looks like I will need to wait until after she leaves and then search for her.  Needless to say in the future I will try not to use physicians who work in this current practice.  My conclusion is that in this group business (money) is the driving force -- very disappointing.  It also makes me question, in a practice that operates like this,  who patients are referred to...