BRAVA Surgeons in Indianapolis/Chicago

hoosier238
hoosier238 Member Posts: 14
edited June 2016 in Breast Reconstruction

I've been lurking on these forums for quite a while, but this is my first time posting. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in January: stage 3a, 5.5cm, IDC, right breast, ER+/PR-/HER2+. We have completed neoadjuvant TCHP with very promising results. We will have a unilateral mastectomy, will have radiation, and are discussing various reconstruction options. One option we are considering is BRAVA: an external device that uses low air pressure to expand tissue, which is then filled in with a fat graft. The procedure seems more straightforward with fewer complications than TE/implant or a flap. However, we are trying to find a surgeon in Indianapolis, Chicago, or anywhere nearby who has experience with BRAVA. Any suggestions?

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2016

    Welcome, Hoosier, and thanks for posting! We're sure our ever-helpful members will be by shortly to offer some suggestions and recommendations. Best of luck to you and your mom!

    --The Mods

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  • ual0307
    ual0307 Member Posts: 62
    edited May 2016

    cancer treatment centers in Chicago has a dr. Listed.

    I'm working with a doctor in Florida.

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  • hoosier238
    hoosier238 Member Posts: 14
    edited May 2016

    Thank you so much ual0307. I will take a look at CTCA in Chicago.

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  • kareenie
    kareenie Member Posts: 339
    edited May 2016

    Be sure to ask what their strategy is re: radiated tissue. Radiation fibrosis can present some roadbocks to successful Brava fat graft reconstruction.

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  • hoosier238
    hoosier238 Member Posts: 14
    edited June 2016

    Thanks kareenie, that's definitely one of the issues that we face. Do you have experience with BRAVA and radiation? According to the studies I've read, radiation can make the treatment more difficult but does not necessarily make the patient ineligible.

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  • ual0307
    ual0307 Member Posts: 62
    edited June 2016

    I have attempted five procedures over 13 months so far after 33 sessions of radiation. And while there has been skin improvement and there is symmetry in my upper chest now. There is no "volume". I did treatments every 3 months..am now taking 6 months off as I evaluate my next steps. I even waited a year after radiation to start.

    The doctor says we can eventually get there and I believe him....but I don't know what I will do. My brava is sitting in the closet..I see it periodically, I just have no energy to put it on and see if I can get expansion this time. My six months is up in August. SO maybe it will turn into 9

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  • hoosier238
    hoosier238 Member Posts: 14
    edited June 2016

    Hi ual0307, thank you so much for discussing your experience, and I'm so sorry that the results have been somewhat disappointing. Are you working with Dr. Khouri in Florida? He seems to be the expert on Brava (since he did, of course, invent it), so I'm sure that he'll try to get you the best outcomes possible.

    Given your experience so far, would you recommend that other women with radiation try Brava? We can go to a local surgeon for a DIEP-flap, and other women in the community have been very happy with him.

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  • ual0307
    ual0307 Member Posts: 62
    edited June 2016

    That's a tough one....

    One of the reasons I am trying the brava is that I could not even get myself to think about moving my parts around. While I have seen remarkable pictures...the thought of creating more scars (that will heal, even) just wasn't going to happen.

    SO for me, I saw it as the only real option. And yes I really, really want a reconstructed breast and I may even consider an implant IF I can do it without TE (create enough tissue through BRAVA for an implant) (I have a unilateral MX)

    The BRAVA is not hard..it is frustrating sometimes...it can be a little expensive...although I used ebay to reduce my costs.

    So I would say yes, I would recommend trying it because I think it is a much more reasonable solution that a surgery like DIEP. However the liposuction IS NOT the piece of cake doctors lead you to believe. I always told myself the worst thing that would happen is I'd only have one boob and thinner thighs. And while I only have one boob....I do have thinner thighs....and I can wear most things with a prosthetics

    And if you don't get the results, you can do something else....

    My surgeon is in Orlando...I like him a lot....did a consult with Dr. K. Didn't care for him at all

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