It is wonderful to see the research from our team making a national impact. This article was released by the Sydney Morning Herald on 8 May 2022.
It is true that it has been very difficult to offer elective surgeries over the last couple of years due to COVID-19 and elective surgery restrictions in both public and private healthcare systems.
However, the good news shown by this study is that more women across Australia are learning about their breast reconstruction options BEFORE they undergo mastectomy. Consequently, rates of reconstruction at the same time as mastectomy have dramatically increased over the 10 year period studied up until 2018.
There are 3 main options for women facing mastectomy:
Going flat (no reconstruction);
Using an implant; or
Using own tissue (usually the tummy tissue - also known as DIEP flap).
Jo Muirhead is one of a number of patients sharing their stories in the hope that more women will discover these options and have early conversations with their surgeons. Read more about Jo’s and other women’s experiences.
Congratulations must go to lead author Nirmal Dayaratna, who seems to have a knack for research and determining which questions to answer. He also recently won the Prize for Best Paper Presentation at the recent RACS meeting held in Brisbane. Well done Nirmal!