Questions to ask your surgeon before diep

So glad you are being proactive about your health! I have recently completed Stage II of DIEP, and I would break down the things that were important to me into three categories:

Experience/results: how many of these procedures has your surgeon done, and how frequently? Can you look at before and after pictures of patients with your body type? What type of result does your surgeon expect you to have based on experience, and what needs to be done to your body - and where - to get there? Can you talk to other patients about their experiences?

Complications: what can go wrong, and how does your surgeon deal with it? How frequently does it happen in your surgeon's practice? What happens if you get home (if you're traveling) and something goes wrong?

Follow-up: Where will pathology be done, what type of pathology will be done, and how will it be reported to you? What kind of support will you need at home? What follow-up procedures will need to be done? How will you monitor the reconstructed breasts for malignancy?

To these I would also add that anyone who performs surgery on you should be able to answer your questions patiently and completely, so that you are entirely comfortable moving forward. The surgeon should understand your goals and be committed to getting you there. This is a very individual thing - definitely not one-size-fits-all. Try to do as much homework before the appointment as possible (as you already are!) and don't be afraid to take the time you need.

All the best to you,

Yuuki