Implants in Washington DC
- Implants are the most popular choice for breast reconstruction because the surgery is simple and recovery time is the least.
- FDA-approved silicone gel implants are safe and do not have the risk of leakage.
- For patients who have not had breast radiation, implants are a reasonable choice.
Recommended Procedures
- Rad uses Round or Teardrop silicone implants for implant-based reconstruction due to superiority of feel and appearance when compared with saline (water-filled) implants
- The ideal candidate for implants:
- is not a good candidate for tissue reconstruction (DIEP Flap, LSGAP Love Handle Flap)
- has adequate tissue thickness to cover an implant
- has a thin body (i.e. she is not a candidate for DIEP Flap Reconstruction) has not had, or does not need, breast radiation
Other Options
- Patients who have extra fat deposits or who have had breast radiation benefit more from tissue reconstruction (DIEP Flap, LSGAP Love Handle Flap) due to the potential complications (capsular contracture and wound healing problems) that are associated with implants and radiation.
How It’s Done
- Stage 1: A Tissue Expander is placed at the time of a mastectomy. This acts as a spacer to hold the breast shape until stage 2.
- Stage 2: After a 3 to 9 month healing period (depending on whether radiation is needed), the tissue expander is removed and implant or tissue reconstruction is done.
- Stage 3: An outpatient touch-up procedure may (but not always) be necessary to achieve symmetry – this can involve scar revision, Fat Grafting, Nipple Reconstruction and/or Breast Lift on the normal side.
Safety
- Breast reconstruction surgery is done under general anesthesia.
- Dr. Rad works with a board certified anesthesiologist and performs surgery only in a tertiary care hospital.
- An overnight stay is required for first stage (mastectomy and placement of implant) surgery, whereas second stage surgery (removal of tissue expander and placement of silicone implant) is done as an outpatient.
Cancer Survivor Support
Dr. Rad recommends the following support resources for patients and families:
- Local breast cancer survivorship resources:
- National breast cancer survivorship resources:
BEFORE + AFTER
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Photos are of patients who have given explicit written agreement to have them displayed. For patient privacy reasons, the majority of Dr. Rad’s patients prefer their before/after photos to remain off-line. However, Dr. Rad will be happy to show you, in the setting of a confidential consultation, a series of before/after photos, not displayed here, to address your specific concerns. SHERBER+RAD cannot guarantee specific results. Individual results may vary.
What Patients Are Saying
“You rarely find a person who is extremely skilled and a perfectionist yet very modest, humble, sympathetic and warm hearted with a pleasant disposition. That is Dr. Rad! I was so fortunate to have found Dr. Rad, one of the very few in the country who can do Diep Flap reconstruction. Not only the reconstruction results are excellent, the pre-surgery and post-surgery care is comforting. He is always there when needed and explains every detail with lot of patience. Thank you, Dr. Rad!”
“I had a double mastectomy at Johns Hopkins in September 2014. I decided to switch to Dr. Rad because my plastic surgeon had changed the plan from DEEP flap to implants. I saw Dr. Rad for a second opinion. He was very confident that I would be a good candidate for the DEEP flap. The surgery went well. He personally came to see me after the surgery, even on the weekend. Dr. Rad was very reassuring before and after the surgery, and my recovery went exactly as he predicted. I am very pleased with the results. In addition Dr. Rad is very personable and has a great sense of humor, which can be helpful in this kind of situation. His office staff is very responsive to phone calls and is always helpful. His office environment is very friendly.”
“Dr. Rad is a plastic surgeon who is also warm and caring. He took his time explaining the surgical procedure and expected outcomes. I was diagnosed with breast cancer which required a mastectomy. Dr. Rad explained all my options for reconstruction. I chose a DIEP Flap reconstruction. After awakening from surgery and viewing my new breast, I was able to exhale. My newly constructed breast matched my existing breast perfectly.”
“Dr. Rad performed my breast reconstruction with DIEP flap in 2011 after a double mastectomy. I have been absolutely thrilled with the results. He was able to do nipple and skin sparing and my breasts look great and feel very normal. I chose Dr. Rad as my plastic surgeon because he was the only one who was willing/able to do a double DIEP flap given that I am fairly thin. He stopped at nothing to get the best result possible. He has a phenomenal bedside manner and makes his patients feel totally comfortable and confident. I have recommended him without reservation to several friends for breast reconstruction and would go to him again if I needed or wanted plastic surgery.”
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