Being a nurse helped Deann decide between doing nothing, implants, a DIEP or TRAM flap reconstruction.

Transcript

Well I had done a lot of research because they’re, when they tell you “You have breast cancer and you need to have a mastectomy.” Well that’s it. But then when you decide to have reconstructive surgery, there’s so many. You can have nothing done, or you can have this done, there’s four or five different things you can have done. So, of course, the decision’s all in your hands. I did a lot of research on it before I decided what I would have done.

Interviewer: You said “You have to make the decisions yourself” so?

When you decide to have reconstruction as to what you want to have done. Like I said, you can have nothing done, you can have a tissue expander and an implant or you can have, like I had DIEP Flap. You can have a TRAM Flap*(Transverse Rectus Abdominis Muscle Flap) , so I went with the DIEP flap*(Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Artery Flap) .

* TRAM Flap: A section of the lower belly containing blood vessels, skin, fat and muscle is cut and used for breast reconstruction

* DIEP Flap: A section of the lower belly containing blood vessels, skin and fat is cut and used for breast reconstruction.

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