Hi all
This has just appeared on the American ‘sister’ site to this one:
breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/reconstruction/new_research/20081124b.jsp
If anyone wants a look…may help people to come to a decision.
S
Very good read, this is exactly what my BS and PS were advising me, I had delayed tram flap (hated the 2 year wait) however very happy with results.
Debbie x
This is a very small study (92 patients) so the % figures quoted need to be treated with caution. Also, I couldn’t quite make it out from the article but it sounded like the “researchers” were the clinic that was performing these operations. As a US medical practice, presumably they are paid on a case-by-case basis by the insurance companies. I would be interested to know the statistics based on not just one clinic (where the surgeons may be better at performing one type of procedure than another) and also where those presenting the research findings don’t have a vested financial interest in the more expensive operation being chosen.
I think you have raised some good points , Nicola, particularly the one about vested financial interests. (There was an article in the Times recently which also touched on some of these issues).
Of course, we have to beware our own vested financial interests here in the UK, too. Perhaps there is sometimes pressure on surgeons inside the NHS to perform the cheapest operation rather than the most appropriate, or a limited number of the more expensive ones. Who knows?
I had a delayed TRAM flap many years ago and was, and still am, thrilled with it. I think the op lasted over 9 hours, but there were no complications whatsoever.
S