Tramflap

[gretagirl]

Can anyone offer information about their personal experiences in recovery from an abdominal tramflap post mastectomy?  Pros and cons,length of recovery time,complications, etc.  I'm having trouble deciding what to do even after lots of reading and two consults with plastic surgeons.  They make it sound easy, but it sounds very complex and painful to me.  Thanks.

[cabby]

I found a lump in my right breast last july and had a lumpectomy, i did not get clear margins and a second type of cancer was found to be DCIS, the lump was diagnosed as invasive ductal carcinoma.  So, two weeks later I had a  mastectomy with a tramflap.  It has been six weeks since surgery and I am still not healed.  I can't start my chemo because i have open wounds.  The breast now has a gaping crater at the incision the size of a half dollar.  I am going today to a wound clinic to be hooked up to a wound-vac that will help to close this wound on my stomach.  the incision on  my stomach was pulled so tight that i believe it just caame open, because i could not stand with my left foot flat on the ground the pulling so bad.  I  personally wish that i had never done this.  i do not plan to have a nipple reconstructed because i am so leary of surgery again... aat least not with this plastic surgeon.  I am 37 years old and have 3  children.  I am just tired of dealing with these wounds and want to get started with my chemo.

Thanks for listening...

[SallyJean]

I had bilateral masectomies in 1995 with an immediate abdominal transflap reconstruction the same day.  I have suffered so much and still am.  Right now I am trying to find a Fantastic Surgeon that can fix this mess, I have just found out that the marlex mesh that he used is poisoning my system and now I am in trouble and my age is 64.  I have had at least 8 hernia's the first few they opened me up all the way to fix the hernias.  I have found a doctor that can fix them without opening me all the way up he just makes a slit in the 4 layers of Marlex (bad) mesh and then just repairs the slit.
I am so scared.......I have 7 children, 22 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren and I am so not ready to leave them all, but I know that this will be a one time shot as it will tear all the tissue that has grown to this mesh.

Please be careful of what you choose in your life as you may not be able to change it.

If anyone knows of a wonderful surgeon that knows something new out there please let me know I am so sick of all the medication I have to take over this.

Thanks for listening to me babbling on and on!!

[aim03]

My mother is a smoker and had tramflap surgery about six months ago,she has still not healed. She had to get skin taken from her thigh and placed on the open wound on her stomach it was very painful for her. If you smoke please consider all of your options. Also, keep in mind that there are many things that you will not be able to do since your abdominal muscles will no longer be able to support you as they once did.

[Sheila71]

Hi I am just giving a little of my experience.  I was 23 when I had breast cancer.  I had a Lumpectomy followed by 6 months Chemo and 5 weeks of Radiation.  Then 5 years later my mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  So the Doctor's all told me to have both breasts removed and reconstruted with the Tram flap.  I did this in 1999 I myself am very pleased with the results.  I have an Ultrasound done every year for follow up.  Although I do have a little discomfort along the incision in the abdomin, more so on the right side, some days worse than others.  I don't know if this should be a concern or if it could just be scar tissue.  I am 2 months short of being 9 years clear of any cancer.  So far feeling great but will always be in the back of my mind.  I speak for myself because the Doctor's around here all thought I was crazy the first time I told them I had a problem.  They all said I was way too young to even think about something like Cancer.  Well hope this helped someone out and thanks for listening.

[Lilli]

I am also in the process of deciding whether to have radiation or tram flap.  I am one of those people who needs to know everything start to finish.  I have been interviewing women who had radiation 10+ years ago to find out long term problems and ladies who have had mastectomy with tram flap.  I have DCIS multifocal nuclear grade 1 & 3. Had segmental & resection to get clear margins.  I am worried about re-occurrence it seems everyone I have talked to with DCIS had this happen again.  Of the ladies I spoke to with tram flap none of them are sorry.  They vary in lenght of recovery time but all were happy with final results.  Takes awhile to really look good they say.  Lots of pain but this is short term.  One lady had a bilateral tram and she has issues sitting up and getting out of bed-she has to roll out can no longer sit from lying position.  

I am interested in how the lady found the lumps after a tram.  Can you still do breast exams and what kind of cancer did you have invasive or DCIS to begin with?  I am so sorry you had to go through all of that just to have another surgery.

[Lilli]

I am also in the process of deciding whether to have radiation or tram flap.  I am one of those people who needs to know everything start to finish.  I have been interviewing women who had radiation 10+ years ago to find out long term problems and ladies who have had mastectomy with tram flap.  I have DCIS multifocal nuclear grade 1 & 3. Had segmental & resection to get clear margins.  I am worried about re-occurrence it seems everyone I have talked to with DCIS had this happen again.  Of the ladies I spoke to with tram flap none of them are sorry.  They vary in lenght of recovery time but all were happy with final results.  Takes awhile to really look good they say.  Lots of pain but this is short term.  One lady had a bilateral tram and she has issues sitting up and getting out of bed-she has to roll out can no longer sit from lying position.  

I am interested in how the lady found the lumps after a tram.  Can you still do breast exams and what kind of cancer did you have invasive or DCIS to begin with?  I am so sorry you had to go through all of that just to have another surgery.

[Bajamama]

I am researching Tramflap and would appreciate any pros and cons. I have found articles online and met with a plastic surgeon, but would really like to hear first hand from women that have gone through the process. I'm having a hard time deciding between implants and the tramflap. I am 51 and had a double mastectomy 15 years ago. Again, I appreciate any information!

[careermatchmaker]

Having bilateral mastectomy.  Re-occurence of cancer in left breast (previously had a lumpectomy)and drs. strongly encourage removing both as cancer runs rampant in my family medical history.

I have been remarried on 2 yrs. this past February and would like to have breasts of some kind.  Time to decide tram flap or silicone implants.  I am only 46.

I have read and read posts after posts and many say NO to the tram flap.  I am trying to make a decision and need some solid advice.  I have had a hysterectomy and have the tummy scar and my skin of course hangs over that scar somewhat.  Having cancer is bad enough but the thought of having "new and improved" breasts and possibly my stomach flattened seems positive incentive to this ****. It is pulling me through cancer this time.  I am solely concentrating on the good and not sending my self to my own pity party.  I just need some feedback and hope someone could help.

Signed,

Joann

Looking forward to seeing myself as a new person than someone who has had cancer.

[catmom]

In my support group there is a woman who had the tram flap.  She was a smoker, and she had difficulty healing in the abdominal area.  The surgeon said it was from smoking.  If you smoke, be careful.

[karenkls]

May I also share that you may be told that you do not need mammograms on the breast that has been reconstructed, since you will have abdominal muscle there and not breast tissue per se.  Some of your larger medical facilities will do a tramogram, which basically is a mammogram of your tram.  I was not informed that this procedure was available until detecting two lumps, subsequent biopsies and sought a second opinion.  It isn't the standard to do tramograms, but knowledge is power and it is one more detection option.  I can't help but wonder if I had one done sooner, if my recurrance, which is now invasive, would have been detected sooner.

[karenkls]

I had a tram flap reconstruction 3.5 years ago.  Ask your plastic surgeon to show you before and way after pictures.  The before and immediately after, and the 2 year after pics may be substantially different.  Everyone's healing process is a little different.  I initially was thrilled with the results, but the final cosmesis is that the reconstructed breast is noticeably smaller than my other breast after all of the swelling subsided.  I also developed an incisional hernia from the abdominal incision, which resulted in a subsequent surgery and insertion of mesh.  I have just been diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma underneath the tram so am going to have a tramectomy (which basically is a second mastectomy on the same breast).  For the most part I feel that I made the right decision to have the tram, but for as much research as I did I still was disappointed with the final healing results, and now it's irrelevant because they're going to remove it anyway.  I would say carefully consider all of your options and ask questions until you find your comfort level.

[Gracie2]

I had a TRAM Flap in February and have been very pleased with the results.  It is a very tough recovery for the first week because they cut into your abdominal muscles but after that it was OK. To be honest with you, it was very painful in the beginning but our bodies have an incedible ability to heal themselves.  Be sure to check out your surgeon and be honest with him/her about your question, fears and comprehension of what they are going to do.  I have never regretted this surgery and would recommend it.  The final outcome is awesome.  I went on spring break 4.5 weeks post op and wore my regular tankini swim suit and no one knew that I had had a masectomy/reconstruction.  Go for it!  you won't regret it!!

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear gretagirl:  The experience of tramflap and recovery is related to many factors, including the specific plastic surgeon.  I'll post this for others to comment.