Waiting Time for Surgery
Hi, I'm looking to hear from other public patient's attending St Vincent's hospital who are currently waiting to be called for breast reconstruction surgery or who like myself have a tissue exapnder and are waiting to be called back to have it removed and an implant inserted. How long have you been waiting versus what was the actual waiting time given to you by your consultant. I was told by my consultant that I would be waiting 2 to 3 months, while I took this with a pinch of salt, I thought more likely to be closer to 6 months. I rang the hospital two weeks ago and have been informed that I am now looking at least another 9 month wait on top now of the five months I have been waiting. My concern is that the tissue expander is according to the manufacturers literature "temporary" and on US websites stating "ideally" it should not be left in more than six months as the development of tissue adhesion will make it more difficult to remove and lead maybe to other knock on effects, ie longer healing time. I checked with the maunfaturer of the expander I have and that time frame has been removed from their literature for the UK and Irish market. I really would love to hear from others who have had this done in Vincent's in the recent past, and what was their timeframe form start to finish. Also has anyone (public patient) asked to change their assigned consultant for whatever reason? How did they go about it and how was it taken. Fed Up
Comments
Sorry to hear you have been waiting so long. Am not in vincent's, rather Beaumont. Although I am lucky enough to have VHI I was in the public system.
I had mast with no recon in Feb 2009. Infection, then Chemo, rads took me till early nov. I had apt with plastics in nov 2009 and again in Jan 2010 and insisted they put me on waiting list. I was initially called in June as they had a cancellation but I was heading on hols the next week. I was called again and done in Aug 2010.
I called several times from about April/May to see where I was on list. I they never actually told me but did advise I would be done in due course.
Suggest you call them every two weeks. Tell them you could be available at short notice (I got very little notice as a public patient! 4-5 days).
If you have concerns re temporary expander maybe call BC nurse, in case she has an input into scheduling.
It is awful that we have to do this. The plastics team in Beaumont never told me to call admissions but I asked them if me calling admissions every so often would help and they admitted that it would.
Good luck with it.
Hi Marie
I sent you a pm
Xx
HI, I had my second inflation of my TE this week following surgery on 23rd Feb and my surgeon said that he intended to leave expander in for up to 12 months to allow everything to settle properly, before exchange. On this basis, I am going to do my exchange after Christmas. But interested to know more about the six months time frame and will check out further when I see him again in a fortnight.
Best Wishes LL
Thanks to all of you that replied, good to know I'm not the only one. From reading your messages your consultants/hospital were up front about waiting times and how long this procedure may take. My current consultant (and reason I want to change) from the word go has been brief in his responses to my questions (a guy in a big hurry), and not only him but a doctor on his team told me I would be waiting 2 to 3 months for the next stage, so they don't even know what the waiting times are for their own surgery lists. I'm going to take the adivce and start ringing his secretary and admissions on a regular basis. I work with someone who did this, she was going to Beaumont, and it worked.
Re the six month period for the expander, this I found in a document from Allergan on the Natrelle 133 product, google and it will come up. Of course the six month waiting time is probably for the US market due to the high levels of litigation. We'd have a hope in hell trying something like that here. But it might be worth mentioning to your consultants, particulary those of you who are ready for surgery.
Just like to add I have started contacting my local TD's about the wating times and have asked them to respond to Minister O'Reilly's declaration at the start of the year that NO ONE SHOULD BE WAITING MORE THAN SIX MONTH FOR ELECTIVE SURGERY and what provisions if any are going to be put in place for those of us who are waiting longer than six months. Might be worth a try, anything to shorten the long wait. Hang in there. Mimi 
Oh dear, now I am worried! I have my expander since August 2011 and am still waiting to get on the list for recon because I was refered from Limerick to beaumont. I have been told I will see breast surgeon there about 2 weeks after easter!
Karen