mastectomy atlanta

November 2, 2016

How Can My Breasts Be Reconstructed from My Abdomen?

Blog, Breast Reconstruction, Breast Surgery, Educational Atlanta breast cancer, Atlanta breast implants, atlanta breast reconstruction, mastectomy atlanta, Plastic Surgeon Atlanta

After the trauma of breast cancer and a single or double mastectomy, many women find breast reconstruction to be one of the first steps toward feeling like themselves again. But did you know this can often be done using your own natural tissue rather than breast implants? In most cases, these types of procedures use fat, muscle, blood vessels, and/or skin from the abdominal area. While it does require more incisions than a reconstruction with breast implants, it also offers an added perk for some patients, because it can offer them slimmer contours along with new breasts. However, there are many different ways to do this. My video below discusses the three primary options for breast reconstruction using your own abdominal tissue: the TRAM Flap, the Free TRAM, and the DIEP Flap.

Breast cancer can be a difficult and painful experience for any woman. That’s why I have dedicated much of my career as a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in breast reconstruction, helping these strong survivors restore their optimism and find more normalcy in their lives. To learn more about your breast reconstruction options, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott. Or, for more health tips and plastic surgery news, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

March 17, 2014

Dr. Elliott Honors Breast Reconstruction Pioneer Carl Hartrampf with Live Surgery and Lecture at Atlanta Breast Surgery Symposium

Blog, Breast Reconstruction, Latest News Atlanta breast surgeon, Atlanta breast surgery symposium, Bilateral TRAM flap surgery, breast augmentation, breast reconstruction, breast reconstruction Atlanta, breast surgeons atlanta, breast surgery Atlanta, Hartrampf Atlanta plastic surgery, mastectomy, mastectomy atlanta, mastopexy, TRAM flap surgery

For the annual Atlanta Breast Surgery Symposium, cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgeons around the globe convened at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead to collectively study the most precise and efficient breast surgery approaches, tools, and technologies. Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Franklyn Elliott was privileged to give the honorary Hartrampf lecture, themed around the “retrospectoscope,” an informal term in the medical world for reviewing various happenings of the past and notating what could have been done better. To further demonstrate Hartrampf’s legacy at Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C., Dr. Elliott demonstrated the TRAM flap technique in a live telecast surgery.

Atlanta Breast Symposium 2014 The first symposium was held nearly 30 years ago, originally founded by Atlanta Plastic Surgery’s Dr. Carl Hartrampf, who is credited with the development of the TRAM Flap method of breast reconstruction. Dr. Elliott’s honorary lecture reflected on the developments made in cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery and the spark for innovation ignited by Dr. Hartrampf.

Prior to delivering the lecture to hundreds of fellow surgeons and attendees, Dr. Elliott performed a live bilateral TRAM flap surgery using the Hartrampf technique. TRAM (transverse rectus abdominus myocutaneous) surgery for breast reconstruction harvests a portion of a woman’s abdominal fat, muscle, and skin to reconstruct a removed or mastectomy-altered breast.

For the remainder of the weekend, Dr. Elliott served as moderator on several panels covering subjects such as breast augmentation, revision, and mastopexy. Dr. Elliott also led a discussion covering problem cases from the audience at the meeting, where surgeons could address real-life patient topics and problems in efforts to discover and implement practicable solutions from the thoughts and wisdom of fellow surgeons.

If you are interested in a cosmetic or reconstructive procedure from Dr. Elliott, please contact us today. For more on breast reconstruction and other procedures, please visit Dr. Elliott’s website and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.

October 25, 2013

Breast Cancer Prevention: Prophylactic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy

Blog, Breast Cancer, Breast Reconstruction, Breast Reconstruction atlanta breast specialist, board certified plastic surgeon Alpharetta, breast cancer, breast cancer removal, breast cancer surgery atlanta, breast reconstruction alpharetta, breast reconstruction Atlanta, breast surgeon atlanta, mastectomy atlanta, Nipple-sparing mastectomy

Several breast reconstruction options exist to remove breast cancer or reduce associated risks. One of those options is a prophylactic mastectomy procedure, which preventatively removes one or both breasts to prevent or reduce the risk of breast cancer development. For any patient, it is important to review the available choices for these types of procedures as well as your motivation for surgery. Because breast cancer surgery is life changing, board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Franklyn Elliott encourages patients to choose the option they are most comfortable with to maximize satisfaction with the results. Passionate about helping breast cancer patients, Dr. Elliott presents patients with their options as well as what to expect during recovery and results during a reconstructive surgery consultation.

When it comes to breast cancer surgery, some women choose bilateral mastectomies over unilateral mastectomies, which can lead to a more symmetrical, balanced result when it comes to the reconstruction that follows. Dr. Elliott provides options for breast reconstruction, including tissue flap reconstruction, fat transfer, and breast reconstruction using a breast implant.

Generally, a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy will be planned to spare both nipple and areola. The incision for the nipple-sparing mastectomy is made around the areola. A small amount of tissue under the nipple areolar is removed and examined during surgery for the presence of any cancer cells. If breast cancer cells are found in the tissue removed, the entire nipple areolar is removed. Patients can elect to have nipple and areola reconstruction surgery after healing if this route is taken.

Reasons why one may choose a prophylactic mastectomy vary: already having cancer in one breast, a family history of breast cancer, abnormal cells on previous biopsy, positive genetic testing, and/or and the presence of dense breasts. If a patient has been referred to a plastic surgeon, chances are they have identified one or more of these risk factors with a surgeon, oncologist, or specialist post-screening.

In a recent study of patients electing preventative mastectomy, only 5% of women expressed regret. It’s important for women choosing to undergo these extensive surgical procedures to understand that post-operative breasts may not be the same as their original breasts. While Dr. Elliott can offer his expertise in helping you feel comfortable with your surgery, ultimately, the chosen option for preventative mastectomy is exclusively your decision to make.

Please contact us to make an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Elliott to discuss your goals after conferring with your surgeon, oncologist, or specialist. To learn more about the breast reconstruction procedures Dr. Elliott performs, please visit his website and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.