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137 Johnson Ferry Rd
Building 2000
Suite #2240
Marietta, GA 30068




    Breast Implant Placement

    Breast Implant Placement

    Did you know that you have a choice in breast implant placement?

    Breast implants can either be placed or above the pectoralis muscle and beneath the breast tissue, known as sub glandular placement shown on the left of the picture below, or beneath the pectoralis muscle, sub muscularly, as shown on the right.  The benefits and risks of implant placement above or below the muscle have been studied extensively by comparing hundreds of thousands of breast augmentation cases and the findings overwhelmingly support submuscular placement of breast implants.

    Implant PlacementPlacing breast implants beneath the muscle, in a pocket created between the chest wall and the pectoralis muscle carries many advantages and reduces risks of complications.  It’s difficult to rank these advantages in order of importance but submusclar placement has the following pro’s:  1. reduces the risk of capsular contracture, 2. allows for mammograms to be performed and read (ie doesn’t interfere with early detection of breast cancer or other problems), 3. theoretically patients can still breast feed if they choose to do so, and 4. submuscular implant placement has a more natural appearance and contour in the upper chest.

    Dr McCluskey will individually assess each patient to decide which implant placement is most suited to each patient’s needs and aesthetic.

    For more information on services offered by Dr McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/

    Brazilian Butt Lifts


    It’s getting colder so we’re going to shift away from breast topics and talk about butts.  What do butts have to do with it getting colder?  Absolutely nothing but it’s always a great time of year to talk about butts.  The Brazilian butt lift procedure is wildly popular in Atlanta.  My plastic surgery office receives multiple calls every day requesting information about the Brazilian Butt Lift and it is now one of my most popular operations.  Because of the popularity of the Brazilian butt lift we’ve gained a great deal of experience in properly contouring & sculpting the buttocks based on the unique desires of our patients.  I love this procedure because it corrects and enhances multiple areas of the body with minimal risk and easy recovery.

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    Brazilian butt lift

    In a typical Brazilian butt lift case I remove fat from the abdomen and waist (and possibly other areas such as inner and outer thighs, back, or arms) via liposuction.  I then process the fat, removing excess fluid from the aspirate to yield purified fat for injection.  This fat is placed both subcutaneously and submuscularly in multiple layers to build and sculpt the buttocks to a desired shape and size.  Depending on the amount of fat I’m able to aspirate from the patient I’ll typically transfer 400-1000 cc per side (cheek) and I’ll transfer 200-300cc into each hip region to provide a rounder contour.

    Keep in mind that there are two parts to the Brazilian Butt Lift procedure:

    1) Liposuction and liposculpture of the waist and lower back, and 2) Transfer of fat to the gluteal and hip region to enhance and sculpt the buttocks.  My aim with this procedure is to suction as much fat as possible to achieve a beautiful even contour with a slim waist and mid-section.  I often perform liposuction of the outer thighs, or “saddle bags” as well to further enhance the appearance of the buttocks.  Patients have a variety of goals with the Brazilian Butt lift procedure.  Some patients have always had what they describe as a flat butt and by slimming the waist with liposuction and transferring the fat to the buttocks I can give them that natural gluteal contour that they’ve always wanted.  They’ll look better both in and out of clothes and there won’t be any residual or noticeable scars.

    Celebrity Butt Lift Pictures

    Other patients who seek the Brazilian Butt Lift procedure want a significantly larger gluteal contour.  These patients often bring pictures of celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez (JLo), Nikki Minaj, or Kim Kardashian.  These women, whether their appearances are natural or surgically enhanced, have become known for their humongous derrières.  Kim Kardashian even underwent an X-ray on her television show to prove that her posterior assets are God-given and Jennifer Lopez recently had a Twitter feud with a fan about whether or not she’s undergone plastic surgery.   Whether or not she’s been enhanced by a plastic surgeon, she looks fantastic and her fans & followers both admire & seek to emulate her curves.  Call me for more information on the Brazilian Butt Lift or schedule a consultation to come in & see some of our amazing before/after photos.

    Q&A With Dr McCluskey: Breast Lift Incisions

    Here at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta we are always excited to answer any questions you may have! A woman reached out to us through our Instagram page (@drpaulmccluskey) to ask which incision is better for a breast lift, a “donut” or a “lollipop”, so Dr McCluskey decided to put together this short video to explain the difference!

    If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to let us know! You can comment below or reach us through our Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/paulmccluskeymd ) and we will be happy to help.

     

     

    For more information on services offered by the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/

    Plastic Surgery Cost Factors

    plastic surgery cost atlantaPlastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta is a premier practice providing proven and effective aesthetic and reconstructive surgery procedures of the breast, body and face. Led by Dr. Paul McCluskey, an experienced plastic surgeon, the practice focuses on meeting patients’ expectations in a safe and satisfactory manner.

    Patients in and around Atlanta, GA can receive a wide range of treatment options from Dr. McCluskey. As a cosmetic surgeon, he understands each patient’s aesthetic goals are unique, and ensures that customized treatment options and approaches are followed to suit their needs in the best possible way.

    Range of Procedures

    The Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta provides the following main surgical treatment options:

    Body

    • Arm Lift
    • Thigh Lift
    • Brazilian Butt Lift
    • Body Lift
    • Tummy Tuck
    • Liposuction
    • Mommy Makeover

    Breast

    • Breast Augmentation
    • Breast Augmentation with lift
    • Breast Lift
    • Breast Reconstruction
    • Breast Reduction
    • Breast Revision
    • Male breast reduction for gynecomastia

    Face

    • Browlift
    • Ear Pinning Surgery (Otoplasty)
    • Eyelid Surgery
    • Facelift
    • Mid-Facelift
    • Facial Implants
    • Necklift
    • Revision Rhinoplasty
    • Rhinoplasty

    Cost Difference in Procedures

    The cost of each of the aesthetic or reconstructive procedures performed by a plastic surgeon is likely to be different. The treatment approach, technology involved and skills, efforts and time required to complete a procedure successfully will usually vary from one procedure to another. All these inputs have a direct bearing on the overall cost of the procedure. For example, a full tummy tuck surgery or abdominoplasty is likely to cost more than a relatively smaller procedure such as neck lift.

    Similarly, a comprehensive mommy makeover, which includes tummy tuck, liposuction, breast augmentation or reduction and breast lift, can be a costly affair because of the extensive treatments involved. However, in terms of cost effectiveness, a mommy makeover may prove to be more cost effective compared to each procedure performed individually. Surgeries that involve functional correction, reconstruction, repair or revision over a previous surgery may be more expensive because they are usually more intricate and complex.

    The cosmetic surgeon will usually discuss the cost aspect in detail with the patient beforehand, and help the patient make the right choices. Sometimes a patient may just need a minor improvement in the chin, nose, lips, brows or eyelids, and a surgery such rhinoplasty, brow lift, eyelid lift or chin or lip augmentation may be sufficient to achieve the purpose. In such case, the surgeon may advise the patient to avoid a complete facelift surgery, which may be more costly as well as unnecessary from the patient’s point of view.

    Strategic Factors that could Impact the Price

    Procedures that do not involve general anesthesia may cost slightly lower because the costs of anesthesia are excluded. When it is safe and convenient for the patient, Dr. McCluskey performs procedures on an outpatient basis. This also brings down the overall cost of treatment because overnight stay and care expenses are avoided. Efficiency of a practice, support of the staff members and cost-reduction efforts of the plastic surgeon may sometimes help bring down the costs to an extent.

    Other Factors Influencing Cost

    Some common factors are likely to impact the cost of every procedure in a uniform manner. Some of the key common factors include the following:

    • The skills, experience, and reputation of the cosmetic surgeon are likely to have a bearing on the surgeon’s fee.
    • Geographical location of the practice will impact the cost because the general cost of living varies in each place. For instance, the cost in Mobile, AL may be different from the cost in Manhattan, NYC for the same procedure.
    • Quality of facilities and services provided at the surgical facility or hospital, including the expertise of support staff.

    Actual Cost of a Procedure

    The actual cost of a procedure will differ from one location to another and even from one practice to another within the same location due to so many cost influencing factors involved. However, to provide an indication to new patients about the expected costs of various plastic and reconstructive procedures, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) compiles cost data across the United States each year.

    According to the data released by ASPS for 2012, for instance, the average cost of abdominoplasty or tummy tuck surgery was $5,241. This is the basic national average figure, and does not include the costs of anesthesia, operating room facilities or additional costs. The cost of breast augmentation in 2012 on a national average basis was $3,543, but ASPS indicates that costs would vary depending on the type of implants used and several other factors. For breast lift surgery in 2012, the national average cost was $4,332, and the cost for liposuction surgery came to $2,852.

    For more information on treatments and procedures offered offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey visit:

    My Breast Augmentation Experience

    One of our patients kindly decided to describe her breast augmentation experience at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta.

    “I debated for years before I finally decided to undergo a breast augmentation with Dr. McCluskey.  Plastic surgery was not something I felt desperate for, nor did I think it would change my life. I was always unhappy with my breast size. As a kid I was made fun of by my childhood friends for not developing when they did. As a cheerleader I used to stuff my sports bra so that I wouldn’t look weird in my uniform. Thankfully, these insecurities never caused me to fear going out in public like other women I have seen undergo breast augmentation.  As I got older I was confident enough with my body yet I wanted breasts. Not huge breasts but larger ones that could give me an added curve to my body on top. Even pregnancy did not enlarge my breasts.   Pregnancy was the one thing I thought for sure would take me out of my training bra finally into a bra for the adult female. Go figure. During my consult with Dr. McCluskey I felt extremely comfortable and he was so kind to answer all of my questions. My experiences with other offices weren’t as easy. I felt a lot of the doctors seemed rushed. I was able to get all the information available about implants from the different kinds (saline and silicone gel) to what my post op experience would be. The day of my surgery could not have gone more smoothly. Dr. McCluskey’s entire staff was extremely helpful and attentive to my needs.  Any surgical procedure is scary and it was wonderful having the kind of patient care his staff gives.

     I went with an implant size (350cc Hi Profile Gel) that looked more natural. I did not want many people to know I even had the surgery done. The fake look was not my goal. I just wanted to finally wear that Victoria’s Secret 34C bra I eyed for so long. And four weeks after my surgery when I tried on that bra in the VS dressing room I was satisfied. I continue to be in love and happy with my breasts. My fiancé loves them too!! Thank you Dr. McCluskey and the entire staff at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta!”

    For more information on procedures offered by Dr McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/

    Plastic Surgery & Divorce

    As a divorced dad maybe I can offer a little insight on this topic.  I see a lot of patients who are either post-divorce or in the midst of a divorce or some other life-changing event.  I’m going to speak on the premise that there’s no right or wrong answer here.  Divorce sucks.  I don’t care what anyone says and I applaud those who try to smile and act like it’s no big deal but divorce is really hard on everyone involved, except for the lawyers of course.  Divorce breeds bitterness and hurt and it really brings out the worst in people – believe me, I know!  What I’ve found as a plastic surgeon, especially with my female patients, is that as the dust settles on major events like d

    mommymakeover

    ivorce, and sometimes it takes months to years, and people resume normal life they’re ready for positive change.  This positive change could mean getting a new job, moving to a new city, meeting a new special someone, or buying a

    new house or car.  As those things change, patients also seek to lose weight, eat better, exercise more, and in many cases have cosmetic plastic surgery.  This is one of those instances in which I really take issue with those who say that cosmetic surgery is all about vanity.  If a woman has had 2-3 children and she’s doing the best she can to look and feel good, then she deserves to get rid of that baby belly (extra fat, “the pooch”, extra skin, stretch marks) through a procedure like liposuction or a tummy tuck so that she can have a beautiful, flat tummy and feel better about herself both in and out of clothes.  Likewise if that baby weight has been tough to shed or maybe she’s dealt with feelings of depression that have caused some weight gain, then she deserves the immediate gratification of a procedure like liposuction.  Yes, it’s a quick fix & healthy weight loss requires a lifestyle change – I hear it all the time – but sometimes people just need a little boost or kickstart.  It’s amazing to me how many of my p
    So that’s my little spiel on plastic surgery and major life events such as divorce.  Plastic surgery doesn’t fix the emotional pain of divorce, and I would never recommend it to a patient as a way to get past any form of psychological pain.  But for many patients it’s the first time in many years they’ve felt like doing something entirely for themselves and I completely applaud any effort to pick oneself up and make some positive changes, whatever they may be.ost surgical patients make drastic lifestyle improvements.  Finally they’re happy with their appearance and they’ll do everything they can to maintain it.

    I recently saw a Dr. Oz episode about plastic surgery and discounts for divorce. I would never try to attract people to my practice as a result of some personal tragedy (or victory depending on your perspective).  Here’s a clip from that show and on this topic I have to completely agree with Dr. Oz’s opinion.   I love to offer discounts to military service people, teachers, and medical personnel but I do not offer discounts for divorce and the idea of such discounts just doesn’t sound ethical.

    http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/post-divorce-discounts-plastic-surgery-pt-1

    What’s Your Excuse?

    Source: mariakang.com

    Source: mariakang.com

    Wow, did Maria Kang (@mariakangfitness on Instagram) polarize social media world with three short words!  I have an Instagram account that I’m still figuring out but I’ve had the chance to look through Maria Kang’s photos.  I’ve never met this person so I can only make conclusions based on social media but @mariakangfitness has built an incredible following of “fans” or “likes” by simply living a healthy life and documenting it for the world to see.  She has 3 boys, born in 2009, 2010, and 2011 as she states in her profile.  She exercises at night or early in the morning when the kids are tucked in their beds and she combines plyometric training, weights, and cardio.  She has great taste in music, a supportive husband, and she is determined to maintain her fit lifestyle.  She speaks briefly about a history of bulemia and discusses her personal insecurities with her body.  She points out that she doesn’t have the thinnest waist, she doesn’t have six-pack abs, and she occasionally splurges on junk food.  She even includes a photo of a hot dog that a friend included in a box of donuts as a gift for her.  I can appreciate this.  There are other fitness gurus online who seem to live a life devoid of fun or guilty pleasures.  While occasionally splurging on junk food isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, it at least demonstrates that Ms Kang gives in to cravings just like the rest of us.

    Maria Kang posted a photo on Instagram of herself in workout gear with her three baby boys with the caption, “what’s your excuse?” and people are offended?  Would people be happier if she was fat, eating a pizza, and posted a photo with the caption “I have no excuse!” I heard this now infamous Instagram post discussed on the radio and I couldn’t believe how quickly people jumped to the conclusion that it’s easy for her but “based on my life & circumstances I can’t look like that.”  First of all, yes you can.  If you really want to commit to a healthy, fit lifestyle then you can look like that.  No matter what your age or health status or circumstances, if you improve your diet and exercise habits then you can “look like that.”  But more importantly I don’t think she’s challenging anyone to look like her nor is she saying that she has it tougher than anyone else.  Her point is that we can all make changes – either subtle or drastic – to improve our fitness levels, our appearance, and how we feel about ourselves.  Rather than get upset or argue over this post, get out and walk or run a mile.  You’ll be done in 15-30 minutes and I’m sure that many of those who’ve weighed in on Maria Kang’s story have spent at least that long discussing it.

    Here’s my own little struggle with weight gain & changes in metabolism.  As a divorced dad when my son is with me I put everything else on the back burner.  So when I have him I don’t exercise and I typically don’t eat very healthy – if the boys are eating pizza I might eat a salad but I’ll still have a couple of pizza slices.  The rest of my time is spent operating, seeing patients, and managing my practice.  I don’t have much free time and I eat meals on the go – but I don’t have an excuse!  I gained some weight this past year and it’s a direct result of exercising less and making poor diet choices.  I changed those habits over the past few months and I’ve lost almost 20 pounds.  I still have work to do but in answer to @mariakangfitness I have no excuse!  We’re all busy and we all have family and work commitments that get in the way.  But eating healthy doesn’t require extra time.  I know I can do better but I’m not going to take it out on someone like Maria Kang who is doing her best to be a great working mom and maintain a healthy lifestyle.  If you’re overweight or out of shape or munching on french fries while you’re reading this then you shouldn’t be upset at Maria Kang.  Instead, take it as a personal challenge.  Get up now, go into your bedroom or bathroom and take a before pic of yourself, a “selfie”.  Commit yourself to 4-6 weeks of better diet and as much light exercise as your schedule permits (3-5 times per week) then take another photo after that time period.  Your appearance will improve – if nothing else, you’ll feel better and if you feel better you’ll look better.  And you’ll realize that like me you have no excuse.  Life gets in the way sometimes but the only person who can help you make more time for yourself is you.   Make the time, eat better, exercise more and you may change your mind about people like Maria Kang.

    @mariakangfitness on Instagram

    mariakang.com

     

    For more information on procedures offered by Dr Paul McCluskey, visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/

    Breast Pain

    Sometimes breasts hurt.  This is just a fact of life for women.  A search for “breast pain” on Google immediately pulls up 61,700,000 results.  A great deal of content on the major health sites is devoted to the subject of breast pain.  Breasts are glandular and glandular tissue responds to changes in hormone levels.  Changes in the body are often accompanied by aches and pains.  We’re not talking about fall on the ground in agony pain, but it’s enough to drive many women to the doctor to inquire as to the cause of this pain.  The most common cause of breast pain is probably associated with hormone changes from monthly periods.  This is called cyclic pain and it typically subsides as a period ends.  Cyclic breast pain affects both breasts and tends to occur in younger women.  Cyclic breast pain is considered a normal part of monthly hormonal changes and with menopause this type of breast pain will cease to occur.  Noncyclic pain is more common in women 30 to 50 years of age and it may occur in only one breast. It is often described as a sharp, burning pain that occurs in one area of a breast. Occasionally, noncyclic pain may be caused by a fibroadenoma (mass) or a cyst. If the cause of noncyclic pain can be found, treating the cause may relieve the pain.

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    Breast pain can get worse with changes in your hormone levels or changes in the medicines you are taking. Stress can also affect breast pain. You are more likely to have breast pain before menopause than after menopause.

    As a plastic surgeon I don’t typically treat cyclic/noncyclic breast pain unless it occurs in one of my breast augmentation patients.  If a patient arrives in my office with complaints of breast pain I recommend some over the counter treatments and refer her to either her primary care physician, an OB/GYN, or a breast doctor.  I still take the time to reassure these patients that it’s likely nothing serious but especially in patients with cyclic pain, there are other specialties who more commonly treat breast pain.

    Other ways to relieve breast pain include:

    1. NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen, or Aspirin are the most common medications for treating breast pain.
    2. Danazol and Tamoxifen are treatments reserved for severe cyclic breast pain but these medications are rarely used for this condition.
    3. Birth Control Pills (oral contraceptives). OCPs can relieve cyclic breast pain and lessen breast swelling.  OCPs can also cause breast pain as a side effect .
    4. Magnesium supplements have been shown to relieve premenstrual symptoms and cyclic breast pain.
    5. High fat in the diet is a potential cause of breast pain so reducing dietary fat can help to relieve this type of pain.
    6. Reducing caffeine intake in the diet can reduce breast pain as well.

    When patients ask me about breast pain I know that underneath it all they’re concerned about the possibility of breast cancer.  Breast cancer is not often associated with pain and breast implants do not cause breast cancer.  A painful mass is not usually breast cancer but it can be.  This is one of those frustrating, ambiguous things that doctors often say to patients – so is it or isn’t it?  The only way to know with 100% certainty if a mass is benign or malignant is to perform a biopsy.  But if a young patient has cyclic pain for example, and she can feel painful cysts there is usually no indication to biopsy these as long as they change with the cycle.  The take home message is that breasts can hurt and most of the time it’s nothing to be concerned about.  Breast implants do not cause cancer and often times when a patient has pain months or years after breast augmentation, this pain is a result of cyclic/noncyclic breast pain, and not caused by the implants themselves.

     

    For more information on other services offered by Dr McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/

    How Strong Is A Breast Implant? (video)

    “What happens if my breast implant breaks?”, “What does it take to break a breast implant?”

    These are two commonly asked questions that patients ask plastic surgeons during consultations for breast augmentation.  I’ve been told that the Mythbusters television show demonstrated that a breast implant can survive being run over by a car and I’ve relayed this information to a few of my patients.  But when we searched for a clip from that show we were unable to find any evidence of this experiment.  So we thought we’d give it a shot by running over a saline breast implant with my truck.  Not that it makes a huge difference but I drive a large truck (Ford Raptor SVT) so this is a true test of the implant’s strength.
    Most implant ruptures or breaks are spontaneous and are likely a result of what the breast implant companies have coined a mechanical failure, or a manufacturer defect.  This explains why when I remove a ruptured saline implant from a patient I am often unable to find a leak in the deflated breast implant after it is removed.
    Although our little test has zero scientific validity it is not a gimmick.  As a plastic surgeon I was quite curious about whether or not the implant would remain intact.
    Results:  When part of the saline-filled breast implant is outside of the tire base the implant stretches and remains intact.  The test was repeated many times on hard pavement with the implant sitting on a blue towel like the ones I use in surgery.  When the entire breast implant is placed under the tire the implant ruptures.  We filmed this second test in slow motion.
    What does this test prove?  The test demonstrates that these are very strong, pliable medical devices.  Obviously no situation in normal daily life mimics this test but I found the results very interesting.  I can now honestly tell my patients that the implant was undamaged after being repeatedly smashed into the pavement.  And this isn’t as ridiculous as it sounds.  I have a patient who is a professional soccer player and she was very concerned about her risk for rupture while playing soccer. This test helped ease her concern.
    So enjoy the video and let me know what you think!

     

    For more information on treatments and procedures offered offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey visit:

    My Experience With Breast Cancer

    “Oh my God my mom has breast cancer.”  That’s all I remember thinking.

    I had just started my internship after graduating from medical school when our family received the news.  My mother had undergone a breast biopsy that revealed cancer cells.  I had grown all too accustomed to hearing and relaying tough news to patients and families.  With my medical career in it’s infancy I had already uttered the fateful words, “I’m sorry, we did everything we could do, but…” all too many times.  Trauma surgery in a major metropolitan university medical center is just that way – not everyone makes it.  So here I was a young, “battle-hardened” trauma intern and my parents call to inform me that my mother has breast cancer.  With the over-confidence that my shiny brand new M.D. degree afforded me, I knew all of the percentages about breast cancer survival, and I quickly deduced that my mom would be fine.  It’s not that I was insensitive, but at that point I only knew cancer and major illness as academic disciplines.  I knew the causes, treatments, and treatment success rates, but I didn’t really know the patients.  Except now this wasn’t about a patient, this was my mom.  And over the next few days it really hit me – forget all the numbers and the big doctor words and the treatment options – this was life or death.  This was surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hair loss, puking your guts out, then praying to be among the lucky who don’t relapse.  And this wasn’t one of the 30 patients I rounded on at 5am, hoping to catch them before they were awake enough to ask a lot of questions. This wasn’t one of my nervous preop patients from whom I really just wanted a signed surgical consent.  This was my mom.  Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, Dr. Paul McCluskey Breast ImplantsShe would have surgery within the week and she had already chosen to undergo mastectomy on the affected side.  Again I turned to the numbers, and my limited knowledge of breast surgery to conclude that everything was going to be fine.  Not until I met my family at St Thomas hospital in Nashville before surgery did I realize how little I knew.  The truth is that the numbers, stats, and rates of complication, cure, and relapse, are incredibly important and they paint a pretty clear picture of how the average patient will do.  But this wasn’t an average patient.  This was my mom and she had breast cancer and despite having watched a few mastectomies I was scared to death about what was about to happen.  I had no idea if the surgery would “work”, as in would it cure the cancer, and what would have to happen afterward.  I was an intern – basically a fourth year medical student with an MD next to my name.  My family looked to me for some insight and I tried to be strong and reassuring but I had no idea what I was talking about.  I just wanted her to be ok and for this to all be over.

    Fortunately everything went well.  St Thomas is a fantastic hospital and her breast surgeon, Dr Kathleen Crews Williams did a wonderful job.  The surgery took much longer than I had expected and the reason for that was simple – my mom underwent an immediate breast reconstruction by Dr Bryan Oslin, a Nashville plastic surgeon, after Dr Williams completed the mastectomy.  Dr Oslin performed a latissimus dorsi musculo-cutaneous flap reconstruction with a tissue expander.  In essence he raised and released the latissimus muscle from the back, rotated it through the underarm, and then used this large flap of skin and muscle to cover the mastectomy site.   He placed a tissue expander underneath the muscle.  This is a device similar to a saline breast implant that can be filled during and after surgery until it reaches a specified volume.  Once it reaches that volume and the tissue has had a chance to expand over it the tissue expander is removed and exchanged for a silicone gel breast implant.

    I often think back to the image of my mom being wheeled from recovery to her hospital room.  I had never seen or even imagined her in this state, pale, & groggy, with tubes and IV’s, drains, and monitors all over the bed.  I knew what every tube, monitor, and drip represented but at that moment it was all a blur to me.  She was fine but she didn’t look fine.  None of my limited medical knowledge or experience mattered at that point – my mom was a postoperative patient and I was just one of her frightened, hopeful family members.

    My mom was after all one of the lucky ones.  Her cancer was stage 1, her sentinel lymph node biopsy was negative for cancer, and after surgery she did not require radiation or chemotherapy.  She was placed on a medication called Tamoxifen that had been shown to prevent relapse.   She healed great from the surgery and always gives glowing reviews of her medical team including Drs Williams and Oslin.

    That experience affected me profoundly in two ways – 1. It changed my entire approach to patient care and especially my approach to patients and families before and after surgery.  2. I wanted to learn everything possible about breast cancer diagnosis and breast reconstruction.

    Nancy Brinker’s sister was named Susan G Komen.  Susan G Komen developed breast cancer at a time when much less was known about the disease and she died from metastatic breast cancer.  Nancy Brinker thus started the Susan G Komen foundation in her sister’s name, dedicating this hugely successful charitable organization to breast cancer awareness & research.  My story about my mother’s breast cancer pales in comparison to this, but it changed my life.  My mom was “cured” and she recovered flawlessly as a vast majority of women do these days. We have all been affected by this disease and through greater awareness more and more women have good outcomes.  My mother’s experience with this disease revealed to me just how little I knew about breast cancer and it changed the course of my career.

    -Dr McCluskey

     

    For more information on treatments and procedures offered offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey visit: