S-GAP Questions

ditto FLBuckeye's response. Here's the website for the docs in NOLA: www.breastcenter.com. Every center/doctor has different outcome results. Check their before and after photos closely before deciding. Additionally your insurance may cover you going to NOLA even if they are out of network since it sounds like these other docs are "out of area". As far as traveling forfollow up appointments post-op, NOLA sees you 7 days post-op then you're good to go.

Hi, I had an IGAP, which is very similar. This was now some years ago - in fact I had two and they were in 2010 and 2012. I have lost feeling in the back of one leg as they had to cut one of the nerves as it was so tangled up and also the back of the other leg has some feeling as the nerve was also damaged. In terms of strength, that's not been affected at all. They cut in the crease of my butt but as mine was an IGAP it's in a slightly different position to the SGAP and yes I have scars but they do fade after a while. I also had liposuction to use fat from my leg to fill my breast afterwards during revision surgery. The actual reconstruction looks amazing. I'm a bit conscious of my scars now on my butt area. I also am more sensitive in that area, in terms of less fat/padding to a bit more sensitive and in fact I used to do spinning and find bikes more uncomfortable now and I need a gel seat.

I had sGAP surgery at NOLA and am happy with my results and am active with no physical limitations. When I looked into the possibility of having sGAP locally (for me DC, MD, VA area) I could not find anyone who was doing more than about one sGAP/month' (also residents and fellows would be perticipating in those surgeries which I did not want.)

The NOLA docs do multiple hundreds/year and 2 experienced plastic surgeons (not residents or fellows in training) work on you together so the o.r time is cut way down.

Important -You want a plastic durgeon who is VERY experienced (done many of these surgeries when not in training) who has a large group of happy "customers" who are more than willing to talk to you and even show you their results in person.

Has anyone talked to you about possibly being a candIdate for a "stacked" DIEP? This might allow you to still use your tummy donor site. My understanding is that with a plain regular diep only about 1/2 of the tummy donor tissue can be used per reconstructed breast. In a stacked diep both halves are used to construct one breast.

A stacked diep is a surgery that requires more skill because of the way the blood vessels are attached to the recipient site in the breast. The nola plastic surgeons are able to do this but many plastic surgeons are only able to do the simple diep surgery. See the link to the nola web site above.