This DiepCJourney® podcast  is for patients considering their options for breast reconstruction surgery as well as residence, trainees, and practicing surgeons. Our topic is robotic DIEP flap breast reconstruction.

This interview will contain information you may have questions or comments about. Please let us know in the comment section of the podcast after listening and we will do our best to answer any questions. You can watch the full video interview that includes a slide presentation on the DiepCFoundation YouTube Channel.

I am speaking to three guests today that include the patient, Gillian and the  two board certified microsurgeons who performed Gillian’s recent robotic DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Dr. Daniel Murariu and Dr. Peter Deptula.

At age 33, Gillian was diagnosed with stage 3C triple negative & inflammatory breast cancer. Because of the treatment she received and her body proportions, her only reconstruction option was DIEP flap surgery. Drawn to the robotic approach for its ability to reduce pain and speed recovery, she spent months researching surgeons before choosing the right team with Dr. Daniel Murariu and Dr. Peter Deptula.

Gillian recently completed phase 1 of her DIEP flap reconstruction and is feeling more confident in her body. She’s looking forward to next year, when she will mark 3 years since her mastectomy and be cleared by her care team to start a family with her husband, Justin.

She shares her tips on traveling, recovery, and the research she did to find her surgeons and why she chose this team.

Dr. Murariu shares a presentation along with Dr. Peptula on the robotic techniques they successfully use in Hawaii. They share the following studies in the interview:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39191380/

https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/fulltext/2024/04000/indocyanine_green_guided_near_infrared.7.aspx

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39102843/

Although robotic DIEP flap is not readily available in the states at this time, it is growing in interest. There are surgeons in the U.S. and across the world performing robotic DIEP flap. Patients are asking about it so I hope this interview provides you with information you can ask about at your own breast reconstruction consult and as you consider your options and choices to make an informed decision.

Connect with Dr. Murariu on the following platforms:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealohaplasticsurgeon/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murariu-0ba2b7195/

Connect with Dr. Deptula on the following platform:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctor.petey/