Doc Talk: Undercover Book Worm
by Bahram Ghaderi, MD
You may think I must not have anything left to talk about if I am willing to share my reading habits with you. English is my second language, and reading is admittedly not a passion. Maybe it’s because I read so many medical journals for work. Although they can be interesting, there are no characters, no plot, and not what I would call a page-turner.
I have read regular books over the years such as the usual classics in school like Catcher in the Rye and others. As I got older, I became interested in learning how and why we make decisions. This curiosity led to reading many books by Malcolm Gladwell. His books include Outliers, Blink, and The Tipping Point. If you have not read any of them, I would recommend starting. They are well written and read like a mystery novel. As I asked for these types of books for a gift at Christmas or my birthday, my wife found out that they belong to a genre called Intellectual Adventure books. You may have already thought I am a geek and if this confirms it, I am OK with that. I really couldn’t wait to read the next chapter of those books.
Don’t panic I have binge-watched Netflix shows as well. The one I remember watching on my iPad continuously, even as I walked down the stairs, was Breaking Bad. I also watch football all day on Sundays. So, I am trying to show you I have my “man card” too (even if I do watch, and enjoy, movies on Lifetime).
The book that I read the fastest out of all these “intellectual adventures,” was The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson. It delves into innovation and how the most productive point for breakthrough ideas to come to life lies at the intersection of different fields. For example, it was observed that a porcupine quill easily punctured skin but due to the barbs was challenging to remove. This observation led to the invention of a recent type of suture for skin closure that surgeons now use daily. A funnel-shaped pastry bag was the inspiration for another surgical device. It led to the creation of a funnel that is now used for breast implant placement during surgery to reduce the risk of infection! So, next time you are getting ice cream or baking cupcakes, think about how any of the things used in creating those products could be molded into something similar, but with a completely different use.
Enjoy the fall and the football season. I just finished watching the Bears pull off a great win against the Bucaneers. Maybe this will be the tipping point for them to win the Super Bowl! As always, please send all your comments to drghaderi@stcharlesplasticsurgery.com.
Nipple Reconstruction
When I first wrote about nipple reconstruction years ago nipple sparing mastectomies were rarely done. Now, thankfully, they are the norm and provide women the best nipple reconstruction possible – saving their own natural nipple and areola. There are still a sizeable number of patients that are not candidates for nipple sparing mastectomy.
For those women nipple/areolar reconstruction completes the long process that they have gone through since their mastectomy. Although many women decide to forgo the procedure all together, studies have shown that patients feel better about their breast reconstruction once the nipple and areola reconstruction is completed in a timely manner. It is a very individual decision for each patient and depends on their specific situation. There have been many procedures described and used for nipple/areola reconstruction. Procedures such as skin grafts from the groin or labia minora, grafts from the opposite nipple, as well as local flaps and tattooing have been employed to complete this final step in breast reconstruction. The procedure that best fits each patient will depend on the type of reconstruction they had and personal preference.
Nowadays, tattooing is most commonly used for nipple/areolar reconstruction. Skin grafting will have a more natural feel and appearance, but will create a donor site scar, lengthen healing time and may still require tattooing for color match. For nipple reconstruction, local flaps are usually used by drawing intricate geometric patterns on the reconstructed breast and fashioning a nipple with as much projection as possible. This typically works best in patients who have had reconstruction using their own body tissue where there is more fatty tissue available. With implant based reconstruction the local tissue is very thin from being stretched and the long term projection of the reconstructed nipple becomes very limited. Therefore, tattooing is used to give the appearance of a nipple. 3D tattooing has improved results immensely.
Although a very easy procedure to perform, the nipple areola reconstruction can be a very crucial part of the entire breast reconstruction. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 630-762-9697 or email at drghaderi@stcharlesplasticsurgery.com.
Meet the Staff
Dichelle joined the St. Charles Plastic Surgery team in August as a Patient Coordinator. Dichelle and her boyfriend have two fur babies – a cat and a dog. In her free time, she enjoys shopping and spending time with her family and friends. Dichelle’s favorite season is summer, and she loves soaking up the sun sitting by the pool. She looks forward to meeting our fabulous patients!
OFFICE OBSESSIONS
There are two types of people in this world: people who love La Criox sparkling water and people who absolutely hate it. Some critics have said, “Lacroix taste like someone ate a fruit salad and then burped into your water bottle.” Well Dr. Ghaderi and the staff here at St. Charles Plastic Surgery LOVE La Criox! Dr. Ghaderi noticed how much caffeine he was consuming in a day and wanted to make a healthy change in his beverage of choice. La Croix has no caffeine, is fizzy like pop, no calories, but still more exciting than plain water. Dr. Ghaderi was sold. Now our fridge in the breakroom has boxes of sparkling water that we all enjoy.
Fight Like a Girl
As the staff of St. Charles Plastic Surgery, we have the opportunity to witness firsthand the struggles our patients encounter while fighting breast cancer. Our own lives are touched by their courage, strength and determination.
October is breast cancer awareness month. We asked our patients and/or friends to send us a picture that shows a moment of strength during or after their breast cancer journey. We hope these photos can inspire patients that are currently going through treatment that there is hope for a brighter future, to stay strong during the process, and to fight like a girl!
We ask that you schedule your annual mammogram appointment to promote early detection and encourage other women in your lives to do the same. Check your local hospital for convenient mammogram screenings.