Fat Graft Transfer and the Radiated Breast
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Has anyone done fat transfer to lumpectomy site? I just finished radiation and my PS said to wait 6 months before I have a consultation.
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Suz-Q: I have known a few gals who were going to have this done, after lumpectomy. It is a pretty common procedure now...and has a pretty good success rate. You might only need one session or you might need two. If the latter, they are usually done by spacing out at least 4 to 6 months.
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Thanks whippetmom. I'm having a hard time finding doctors who do this procedure. I know that there are many well qualified docs doing this, but I'm having a hard time figuring out who they are!
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Suz-Q, I had fat grafting after a partial mastectomy and I am very pleased with the results. I waited until a year after I finished radiation to have the procedure done, then I went back for a second round a year later. It is very, very important to find a plastic surgeon who has a lot of experience with fat grafting.
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SuzieQ, there is a member on fatgraftpatients.com who had grafting after lumpectomy and radiation. You may want to read her story - although she waited many years before grafting and had had a lot of shrinkage, so she needed multiple procedures. Search for her thread - GerryMc.
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Thanks lane4 and dancetrancer!
Dancetrancer, I registered on fatgraftpatients.com but can't figure out how it works. I can't seem to see any post or join any discussions. I can log in
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Suz-Q,
I emailed the administator of the site. She says it can take up to 24 hours for access to be granted after registering. I hope you've been able to get on by now. Lots of good information there.
DT
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thank you dancetrancer! I was able to see everything last night. I guess I'm just avery impatient person!
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Glad you were able to get in the site! Hope it helps! You aren't impatient, our site just works a little differently than most. I think the reason the admin approves each registrant is that she wants to be careful about trying to make sure spammers don't come on and take over the site.
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hi there! I am going thru exactly the same thing u are! I was wondering what u ended up doing and if u can share it expirence with me
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Madison
hi there! I am going thru exactly the same thing u are! I was wondering what u ended up doing and if u can share it expirence with me! I am having healing issues with my reconstruction and I have to start my radiation. My doctor wants to do fat rafting to the radiated tissue but I'm scared! I have and expander in there and issues with skin being too thin. I had neurotic skin the whole God aweful bag of complications healing u can have on top of radiation
PS He wants to do fat grafting I saw another doctor wants to do latissimus flap anyone please help me. I don't even know what I'm going to do anymore! Radiation is scaring me as much as the stupid chemo and I thoyht that was hard!
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Madison
hi there! I am going thru exactly the same thing u are! I was wondering what u ended up doing and if u can share it expirence with me! I am having healing issues with my reconstruction and I have to start my radiation. My doctor wants to do fat rafting to the radiated tissue but I'm scared! I have and expander in there and issues with skin being too thin. I had neurotic skin the whole God aweful bag of complications healing u can have on top of radiation
PS He wants to do fat grafting I saw another doctor wants to do latissimus flap anyone please help me. I don't even know what I'm going to do anymore! Radiation is scaring me as much as the stupid chemo and I thoyht that was hard!
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Madison - both fat grafting and lat flap will bring healthy tissue to the area.
Fat grafting alone requires multiple surgeries to help heal the tissue. You need to go to a doc who has lots of experience with it, especially if you have limited fat stores to work from.
A lat flap will likely be one surgery. Maybe two. So, fewer surgeries and done faster with recon. However, it is using a muscle, so there may be complications associated with that. And there is always a chance the flap will fail.
Pro's and cons of each surgery.
Implants often don't do well with radiation, unfortunately.
Some do ok with them but it is unpredictable. 0 -
just to share my most recent experience and yet I am not unhappy that I did not figure it out earlier. ADM, cadaver tissue, looks like human, eliminates the mastectomy scar(s) and all is completed within 3 months. Very few Surgeons do this and had heard of it but thought it meant simply an interior sling. Could have had the same size or much larger breasts in a much shorter period with a much greater success without likely complications. However I am over 50 so perhaps it is not as meaningful, in terms of cosmetic enhancement.
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HI damazon
Tell me more about this....what do you mean eliminates the mx scar....are you talking about alloderm?
thanks
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Has any one had an MRI that showed "areas of low concern" after having fat grafting done? I had an MRI on Monday and there were 3 areas of low concern that they think may be from the fat grafting I had done in Oct 2014. That was on the non-mastectomy side. I also had some done on the mastectomy/implant area and developed marble size lumps on the top of the breast area which scared the snot out of me (US showed that it was fat). Now I have to have those areas on the left side biopsied. Another procedure and more stress but I guess its better to find out for sure.
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Tessy, I have internal scarring /inflammation from fat grafting that shows up on scans and they always make note of it. it's a good baseline, in case they see changes later, but not concerning.
Stefajoy
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My MRI's have all been clear. I've had plenty of small lumps develop that needed to be ruled out by ultrasound. All benign fatty necrosis. I've not had to have any biopsied. The radiologist can easily tell it is necrosis via ultrasound. Make sure you are going to a radiologist who is familiar with reading imaging after fat grafting. Seems to me the newer docs are just fine with this, the older docs aren't used to it and get more cautious/scare you unnecessarily. Just my personal experience. YMMV.
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Hi Ual,
Apparently. The woman I spoke with had mx 4.5 yrs ago after large tumour. She had other breast removed in December and full tissue expansion in under 6 weeks for both breasts and fully rebuilt and completion of both breasts (implants)using cadaver skin on original mx side (little useable skin) to bring her to a full volume C size. The whole procedure done in under 3 months. She is currently 53 and a large woman. My sister saw the scar and said it was hardly evident except the skin was of a slightly lighter tone where she was expanded. Interesting?
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Hi ladies, I'm hoping someone has had a similar experience to this: I have a lump exactly where the stitch was which closed my fat grafting wound. I called my BS, but he can't get me in until next Thursday. It is on my radiated side. I'm pretty scared, and of course it's Sunday night. Could it be from the fat grafting? Or cancer returning.....:/
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My hunch is scar tissue! Try not to panic! Let us know what dr says, - but i bet he says it's nothing!
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Thank you! As we all know, waiting is hell. I'm trying to stay calm...
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I had my MRI guided biopsy last Tuesday. It was pure hell. Never again will I go thru that! Thank goodness the biopsy results showed fat necrosis and not cancer.
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I appreciate this post. My PS discussed fat grafting with me during my last fill. I'm currently at 400 ccs and he feels he may want to stop here. I had both of my breasts irridated almost 19 years ago left and 10 years ago right respectively. The radiated areas are not expanding like the rest of the breast on both sides. Although he was more concerned about wound healing with me, which is not the case at all. I knew these limits I might face prior to surgery since the PS discussed it with me. I was just feeling a bit discouraged and ended up texting him stating "I hope I'll look ok". He replied "We'll take it one step at a time. Try not to worry". I appreciated his comments and support. I never was "all about my breasts" but after my bilateral mastectomy, all of a sudden my breasts became more important! After going through DCIS surgeries 3x in nearly 19 years, 1/3 of my life, i guess my breasts have always been on my mind! 😄😄
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bumping in the hopes it creates some new disc
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Having fat grafting to radiated breast in April in an attempt to soften the skin and muscle. Had my exchange surgery in March looking for any one out there who may have info out there to help. Thanks!
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bumping
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I've had FG three times. What kind of information are you looking for?
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SuzQ-
Thank you so much for responding. I had my TE removed at FG done for contouring purposes last March. Wasn’t thrilled with my final results and my original PS said they looked fine especially considering I had radiation in my right breast. Overall my skin looks really good, faint discoloration but certainly a bit of a size difference. I asked about FG and he was very dismissive and told me that I shouldn’t believe what the women on this site are saying. I went out to search for a new PS. My new PS has done research and agrees FG helps the integrity of radiated tissue. I am having FG done in April along with nip recon to both breasts. Wondering what my level of expectation should be will it soften the breast? There is a small area where the skin by my masectomy scar is tighter and makes it slightly lower than the tissue on the side, wondering if FG will/ can plump this area a bit. Also, if I should wait for nip recon until after the FG heals, not sure how much (if any) the radiated tissue will change. Of course these are questions I will ask my surgeon but I’m looking for advice from someone who has been there. Thanks so much for any guidance you can give me.
Hugs Michelle
Also, did you have nip recon, I know there are mixed emotions for women who have had rads... thanks again, hope you are well.
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FG definitely helped my radiated tissue. It became MUCH softer (it was like a rock, almost) and my shoulder range of motion also returned to nearly normal. The radiated tissue still of course isn't 100% normal, but it is significantly better. I had severe radiation fibrosis and even had to take pentoxifyillen for over 1.5 years to try to bring more blood flow to the area.
I had 4 fat grafts post radiation. Don't expect a huge difference in volume with each graft. It takes multiple surgeries, IMO - but I guess that depends on what your goal is.
I also used Brava domes to enhance circulation...not fun...and not for everyone. Note - I do not have implants.
Definitely do NOT do nipple recon unless you have had multiple fat grafts first. The tissue does not heal the same. Even after 4 fat grafts after radiation, my nipple recon took months to heal, and that was with careful DAILY dressing changes. It did turn out quite successful, but I had a very skilled surgeon and I also was very dedicated to careful daily wound care for a few months.
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