Surgery Tips

I'd like to add to the great tips from Dr. Kline

#Talk with other women about their procedures and ask for "show and tell." You'll find out things that only a person who has experienced a certain procedure can tell you. You will also hear of difficult situations and bad results as well. I believe it is important to weigh everything.

#Fitness is essential. I can not emphasize this enough. Start walking as soon as possible and immediately after you return home. It doesn't have to be far. Every step forward helps. If there is one free prescription that accelerates almost every aspect of treatment it's exercise.

#Know yourself. Surgery using flaps (whether attached or detached) are not simple procedures. You will have different incision sites and multiple drains. Recovery takes time, attention and numerous follow-up visits. Knowing all this in advance helps you plan and prepare for the best possible outcome.

I had a delayed reconstruction with a free-flap almost a year after my mastectomy. I was very pleased with the result but the entire process took the better part of a year.

#1 Positive attitude! Patients who are excited about their reconstruction frequently do very well , and tolerate any “bumps in the road” much better.
#2 Education. Try to become very familiar with your desired type of reconstruction, both through reading and discussing it with patients who have been through it already. Knowing what to expect allays fears and makes everything easier.
#3 If time permits, maximize your body’s fitness through diet and exercise, to the extent that you are comfortable doing so.

Richard M. Kline Jr., M.D.