Visiting Surgeons Introduced to Omental Breast Reconstruction
June 4, 2024
Stanford Surgery welcomed seven visiting surgeons to learn about our innovative omental breast reconstruction technique. Visitors hailed from New York, Delaware, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and London. Additionally, two surgeons from Ethiopia—who were visiting Stanford as part of a different program—also joined for part of the day
“[The visiting surgeons] observed a surgery, met some of our treated patients, and had thoughtful, engaging discussions with our team over meals,” said Dr. Dung Nguyen, the plastic and reconstructive surgeon on the team. “Most excitingly, they are motivated to offer this reconstruction to their patients!”
In addition to Nguyen, Stanford’s Omental Breast Reconstruction Team includes Drs. Irene Wapnir, a surgical oncologist specializing in breast; Monica Dua, an HPB specialist; and Yulia Zak, who specializes in bariatric and minimally-invasive surgery.
After receiving multiple requests from surgeons at various institutions to observe and learn the new technique, the team developed a one-day group intensive program. Visiting surgeons will had the opportunity to attend pre-operative conferences, observe surgeries, and meet some of the patients who have undergone treatment. Funding for the program was supplemented by the Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, and Division of General Surgery.
The team developed the new treatment back in 2019 after a mastectomy patient realized her low BMI would exclude her from traditional breast reconstruction techniques. During this novel type of breast reconstruction, the surgeons work simulateanously to remove the omentum laparoscopically, fat from the thighs and flanks is harvested using liposuction, and the mastectomy is performed. An ADM (acellular dermal matrices) pocket is contoured around a breast sizer into which the omentum is placed. Then the fat is injected into the omentum.
Tips for Surgeons Interested in Organizing a Similar Program
- Select a Topic of Shared Interest: Choose a subject that is relevant and beneficial to a small group of surgeons. This could be a new surgical technique, a collaborative project, or a specialized treatment approach.
- Assign an Objective to the Program: Clearly define the program’s goal, such as teaching a new surgical technique, fostering collaboration on an innovative project, or sharing best practices.
- Coordinate Logistics with Administration: Collaborate with administrative staff to organize the location, schedule, and necessary resources. This includes securing operating rooms, conference spaces, and accommodations for visiting surgeons.
- Seek Funding Support: Identify potential sources of funding to cover the costs of the program. This could include institutional grants, industry sponsorships, or educational funds.
Watch HPB Surgeon Dr. Monica Dua and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Dr. Dung Nguyen present "Omental Fat-Augmented Free Flap (O-FAFF) for Breast Reconstruction" on YouTube.
Media Contact
Bio
About Stanford Surgery
The Stanford University Department of Surgery is dedicated to inventing the future of surgical care through:
• pioneering cutting-edge research,
• developing the next generation of leaders, and
• healing through incomparable surgical skills and compassion.
To learn more, please visit surgery.stanford.edu
The Latest
SurgeryDr. Hauser is ACLM President-Elect
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) announced Monday that Dr. Michelle Hauser will ascend to the office of President Elect at their annual meeting in October.
General Surgery NewsHow to Enjoy Slowing Down: A Case Study
A funny thing happened at Stanford last year: A doctor started slowing down … voluntarily. David Spain, MD, is a professor in Stanford’s Division of General Surgery who stepped down as the chief of acute care surgery at Stanford Hospital, in California, after 22 years of service.
SurgerySpotlight on Seed Grant Recipient Dr. Samy Bendjemil
Surgical Critical Care Fellow Dr. Bendjemil was the recipient of a Department of Surgery and Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health seed grant to advance trauma education in Burkina Faso. He shares his insights into the project and recounted details from his recent trip to Ouagadougou.
stanfordvascular on InstagramDr. Fereydooni Receives Robert Hye Memorial Best Resident Presentation Award
Congratulations to Dr. Arash Fereydooni for taking home the Robert Hye Memorial Best Resident Presentation Award (2nd place) plus more about Stanford Vascular at the 2024 Western Vascular Society Meeting.
stanfordgensurgres on InstagramDr. Maria Korah Receives 2024 AAS Fall Courses Travel Award
Congratulations to Dr. Maria Korah, who is a recipient of the 2024 AAS Fall Courses Travel Award! The AAS Fall Courses will take place on Friday, October 18, 2024, in San Francisco, California.
stanfordgensurgres on InstagramDr. Taylor Anderson wins best presentation at CWIS-International in Berlin.
Congratulations to Dr. Taylor Anderson, who won best presentation at the Chest Wall Injury Society-International in Berlin. Her presentation was titled "Post-Discharge Complications and Follow-up Timing After Hospitalization for Traumatic Rib Fractures."View all comments
Surgery4th Annual Fellows Retreat Takes Surgeons to New Heights
The fourth annual Fellows' Balance in Life Retreat took place at Chaminade Resort and Spa on Friday, August 23rd. After a morning of ice breakers and group discussion the 20+ surgical fellows hiked down a long trail to the high ropes course.
SurgeryWomen in Medicine Month: A Conversation with Dr. Mary Hawn
In this special 'Women in Medicine Month' episode of Scrubcast, host Rachel Baker sits down with Dr. Mary Hawn, the Chair of Stanford University's Department of Surgery. Dr. Hawn discusses her multifaceted role overseeing research, education, and clinical care, while still practicing minimally invasive foregut surgery. She shares her journey from basic science research to becoming an acclaimed health services researcher, her thoughts on surgical training reforms, and the complexities of achieving work-life balance in medicine.
SurgeryKnowlton and Team at Stanford Medicine Receive Prestigious ARPA-H Funding through White House Initiative
Lisa Knowlton, MD, MPH, is the co-recipient of up to $22.3 million award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to improve intraoperative anatomy visualization and critical structure identification. The prestigious five-year award will be led by Co-Principal Investigators Dr. Knowlton and Zhongming (Jeremy) Li, PhD, founding CEO of CisionVision, a medical device company in Mountain View, CA.
SurgeryTennakoon, Knowlton Receive California Firearm Violence Research Center Grant
Drs. Lakshika Tennakoon and Lisa Knowlton have received a grant from the California Firearm Violence Research Center at UC Davis. Almost $100k will fund their research project: “Leveraging natural language processing for identifying intimate partner violence using unstructured healthcare data.”