Dr. franklyn Elliott atlanta | Franklyn Elliott, M.D.

May 18, 2012

Breast Surgery as High School Graduation Gift Grows in Popularity

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Featured on CNN’s Headline News last week, board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Franklyn Elliott discussed the popularity of American teenagers receiving breast augmentation surgery as a high school graduation present. Just as he explained during the interview, the decision to undergo cosmetic breast surgery is not one to be taken lightly.

There are major medical implications with any surgical procedure, and plastic surgery isn’t any different. If a patient, especially one under the age of 18, decides to pursue plastic surgery, it is imperative that they only entrust a board certified plastic surgeon with experience performing the type of surgery in which they’re interested. Given the delicate nature of aesthetic surgery and the self image of adolescents, it’s even more important that parents actively participate in the selection of their child’s plastic surgeon. Parents and patients should feel comfortable during a consultation with their prospective surgeon and should be able to openly communicate their cosmetic goals to the surgeon to ensure satisfaction with their breast augmentation results.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery does not stipulate a minimum age for breast surgery; however, Dr. Elliott explains to patients (and their parents) that a majority of physical maturation should be complete before breast surgery as further growth and hormonal fluctuations associated with puberty can alter the appearance of breast surgery results. It’s also important for teenage plastic surgery patients to remember there are different breast implant choices for younger patients than older ones. The FDA has only approved saline implants for patients over the age of 18; those desiring silicone breast implants must be at least 22 years of age to legally receive the devices.

Connect with Dr. Elliott’s Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ profiles to learn more about your breast surgery options and stay up to date on the latest plastic surgery news.

March 23, 2012

Prophylactic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy and Methods of Reconstruction

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Though once popular in the 70s and 80s, the prophylactic mastectomy fell out of favor with doctors and patients in the 90s. However, the advances of mammography in the 90s and beyond have lessened the number of women who are choosing to have one or both of their breasts removed to prevent the advent or spread of breast cancer.

Fewer people are as supportive of preventative mastectomies nowadays because of the potential complications and reports of low patient satisfaction. Thinner skin used over implants can cause capsular contracture or hardening of the tissue lining surrounding the implant.

In a chapter written for the textbook Surgery of the Breast, Dr. Franklyn Elliott writes regarding patient satisfaction:

Patients did not believe they were properly prepared for some of the results of these major surgical procedures, and because they did not have frank breast cancer, were not in the mind-set to deal properly with major surgical extirpation and reconstruction.

However, in a recent study only 5% of patients regretted undergoing prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. Many felt that were inadequately prepared for the pain and incapacitation of the recovery period.

For this reason, it’s important that a plastic surgeon is one of the many consulting surgeons who advise a potential mastectomy and breast reconstruction patient.

Many women who are at a high risk for potential breast cancer and those who’ve had one breast removed because of cancer seek preventative mastectomies. There are many factors that oncologists, general surgeons, and plastic surgeons should consider before suggesting a prophylactic mastectomy for a patient including heredity, the breast cancer gene (BRCA1 and BRCA2), previous diagnoses, and more. It must also be explained to patients that advances in mammography techniques have made it easier to track potential cancers without removing the entire breast.

Choosing a preventative unilateral or bilateral mastectomy is a difficult choice for any woman. According to the chapter written by Dr. Elliott, the “plastic surgeon must limit his or her role to the very accurate description of the patient’s options after mastectomy and, equally important, a full and complete discussion of the recovery phase and the expected result.”

Oftentimes, prophylactic mastectomy patients are shown before and after pictures of women who have had breast cancer and undergone mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery. It’s important that patients are given information specific to their particular procedure, regardless of the similarities between their procedures and another patient’s.

It’s rare that women with no risk factors are interested in prophylactic mastectomies with reconstructions. Some patients are motivated by fear. However a lack of risk factors in patients seeking prophylactic mastectomies probably means that they should not be considered for surgery.

Though controversial among some doctors and patients, there are benefits to preventative mastectomy and breast reconstruction. In the chapter, Dr. Elliott concludes, “With the variety of techniques available for breast reconstruction, intelligent management of the overlying skin, and gradual formation of the breast mass itself, patients can be increasingly assured of complete or near complete breast tissue removal and safe, predictable, uncomplicated breast reconstruction.”

To read the chapter, click here (link to PDF). Other articles written and used by Dr. Franklyn Elliott can be found on his articles page. You can also connect with him on Facebook and Twitter for the latest in plastic and reconstructive surgery news.

February 6, 2012

Did You Know Dr. Elliott Has Breast Reconstruction Articles on His Website?

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dr elliott As a contributing surgeon in the development of breast reconstruction techniques used by breast surgeons, Dr. Elliott prides himself on contributing beneficial information to the surgical world to help women with breast cancer.

He has published articles in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery about the Muscle-Sparing Free TRAM Flap and Scarless Latissimus Dorsi Flap procedures and has served as director, co-director, and/or co-chair for the Annual Breast Surgery Symposium in Atlanta since 1989.

If you’re interested in reading his work, check out the articles section of his website. Make sure to visit Dr. Elliott’s blog as well as his Twitter and Facebook pages to stay up-to-date on the latest in Atlanta plastic surgery and breast reconstruction news.

*Diagram from ASPS