It was not very long ago that actor Angelina Jolie had a double mastectomy and wrote an opinion piece about it. The buzz generated around the genetic markers for breast cancer, through Jolie’s article and act, has really made inroads into the public consciousness, taking the message of breast cancer to the people.
Close to World Cancer Day (on February 4), Chennai is ready to import state-of-the-art breast reconstruction surgical techniques, thanks to the efforts of a UK-based plastic and cosmetic surgeon Venkat V. Ramakrishnan.
Having worked with cutting edge technology for several decades, Dr. Ramakrishnan has even defined some of the techniques that are used in fine breast reconstruction in the UK today. He has decided to spend more time every year in Chennai, the city where he grew up and studied medicine, giving back to the city the best of his skill and trade.
“I intend to come here every three months for two weeks at a stretch, and while I am here, I will work closely with the Chennai Breast Centre, and Selvi Radhakrishnan, oncoplastic breast surgeon. Dr. Selvi is among a rare breed of doctors who has entered a massively specialised field,” he said.
On offer soon, would be both removal of the breast and treatment for breast cancer, and reconstruction surgery.
While reconstruction would be offered as a therapeutic tool post cancer surgery, and is likely to be sought after, removing and reconstructing the breast as a preventive measure is also possible, he said.
However, he says it is important to keep preventive mastectomy in context.
“We must remember that only three percent of breast cancer is genetic. While the Jolie incident brought some spotlight on the cause, preventive mastectomy is not for all,” he said.
“Micro reconstruction has not quite caught the imagination of the public in India, while in Britain, where a third of all plastic surgery work in the west is done, all mastectomy patients are offered breast reconstruction as an option by the National Health Service. It is mandatory for us to offer reconstruction. About 50 per cent of the patients take it up,” he said.
A psychological profile that was done of patients before and after breast reconstruction surgery revealed that this had benefited them hugely. A good per cent of women are severely affected – they feel like freaks. Of course not every woman is adversely affected by breast removal, but for those who are traumatised, breast reconstruction offers hope.
