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Re: reconstruction
My surgeon did a beautiful job in just using expanders then implants, fat transfer and some kind of matrix stuff that provides internal support. 4 weeks later I developed a bad infection between the implant and my chest wall of the radiated side and had to remove the implant. My body just had a tougher time healing there. I am waiting for a few months and believe we will go the flap direction to increase healthy tissue and blood flow. My doc said he has good results trying things the way we did but my research shows the best results for success are using the flap - either belly or back.
Good Luck.
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11/19/10 Identified swollen lymph node
1/24/11 Mammogram showed microcalcifications - no mass
2/4/11 Diagnosed ER/PR- HER2+++
2/23/11 Began TCH protocol every 21 days 6x
5/23/11 Ultrasound of originally diseased lymph node shows normal
7/25/11 Lymph node dissection - 8 of 14 show disease
7/29/11 Double mastectomy with reconstruction (expanders)
8/29/11 Begin follow up chemo - Adriamycin 4 treatments every 2 weeks and Xeloda. Self inject Nupogen shots
1/6/12 6 weeks of Radiation finished
2/13/12 Last Herceptin/remove port
3/27/12 PET/Brain Scan NED :)
8/15/12 Final reconstruction - hello nipples, good bye expanders
9/14/12 Rejected implant/infection. Implant removed
5/6/13 Latissumis Dorsi surgery left side with expander
PS - my photo was taken 5 days after my double mastectomy surgery and 6 weeks after my TCH was completed
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