Anyone had Diep done by dr. Lipa

I'm with Dr. Lipa, however I didn't qualify for a DIEP because I don't have enough tummy fat. During my first couple of appointments with Dr. Lipa, she was very thorough in discussing the options. Based on how much body fat I have and where it's located, she concluded that the only option I had, other than an implant, was an I-GAP. I decided I didn't want that and went with the implant instead.

So I can't vouch for Dr. Lipa's results with a DIEP but I can say that she's great. I am very pleased with my results with the implant and was completely happy with Dr. Lipa and everyone on her team. Be aware that because TGH is a teaching hospital, Dr. Lipa always has a resident with her and sometimes has a med student (but she asks first if it's okay for the med student to come in.)

I had my initial reconstruction done at the same time as my mastectomy, so I was able to jump the queue because that's considered urgent surgery. Still, it took about 6 weeks to get a surgery date that worked for both my surgeon and Dr. Lipa, since they had to be there together.

My replacement surgery, when the expander was removed and the implant put in, wasn't considered urgent and I was warned that I might have to wait up to about 4 months to get a surgery date with Dr. Lipa. As it turned out, I was scheduled in for surgery about 6 weeks after the earliest possible date that I could have had that surgery, so it wasn't too bad.

One factor that works against you from a scheduling standpoint is that DIEP is a very long surgery; mine was just a couple of hours so it was easier to fit in. I believe that Dr. Lipa gets one surgery day a week at TGH, and a DIEP might take up the better part of a whole day. That could really delay the scheduling. But then I don't think it would be any different with any other surgeon.

Good luck and let me know how it goes with your appointment.

I did, she was excellent. Originally I had a consult with Dr. Brown... then waited another ~ 6 mos for a consult with Dr. Lipa (he only did the TRAM and I wanted the DIEP). I had mine in ~ June 2005... one hell of a surgery but the results are totally amazing. Dr. Lipa is amazing too. I see that Dr. Marla Shapiro, Libby Znaimer, etc have been her patient as well... I truly think she is one of the most respected reconstruction surgeons around.

Good luck, Julie

I live in Victoria BC and called Dr. Lipa's office to get an appointment. They told me there is a two year wait for a consultation and then another year for the surgery. Why can't more surgeons in Canada learn how to do the DIEP????
It's so frustrating.

It's not just Canada that has a shortage of surgeons who do the DIEP procedure. If you read the Reconstruction Forum, you'll see that many of our U.S. sisters travel to New Orleans to have their DIEPs done there, both because the center is known for their expertise in this procedure but also because lots of areas of the U.S. and even many of the major hospitals don't have any surgeons who do DIEPs.

Hi, do you ladies know if you can do reconstruction after having a mastectomy, then radiation? I'm also receiving chemo, rads...at PMH.
Take care,
Ginny

Thank you Beesie for answering my post. Good to hear I could be fast tracked. My surgeon is at PMH. I guess after rads you can't do expanders?
Thanks again for your response.
Take care,
Ginny

Thanks again Beesie. Wow, I was hoping not to ever have the lat flap, but rather expanders, if I ever needed a mastectomy of my other breast (I would do both then). I decided on radiation to my mastectomy site because the margins were pretty close, not a full 1 cm margin from my chest wall. I have several microinvasions of grade 3, er-pr-, and with close margins thought I would be preventing a recurrence best with chemo and rads. Unfortunately, I have not had recon yet, so my options are very limited after rads. My doctors were 50/50 on doing chemo and or rads....I better keep thinking about this. Rads are supposed to start sometime the end of June.

Anyway, thank you for the very informative article.

Take care,
Ginny