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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – GREAT NECK, NY – Northwell Health has opened a $3 million, 4,600-square-foot outpatient comprehensive reconstructive breast and lymphatic surgery center designed for women with breast cancer or a genetic predisposition for the disease.
Surgeons at the Gerald J. Friedman Center for Breast and Lymphatic Surgery specialize in breast and lymphatic reconstruction, have pioneered many advances in the field and are recognized internationally as leaders in research and innovation. Collectively, the center’s five breast reconstructive surgeons have performed thousands of successful microsurgical procedures. The center’s highly experienced team also includes physician assistants, nurse practitioners and medical and administrative assistants, dedicated to providing personalized, supportive care with unsurpassed outcomes.
The center, located at 600 Northern Blvd., Suite 310, is in part supported by the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman Foundation, a longtime benefactor to Northwell Health.
“The Friedman Center began as a shared vision among patients and physicians about how we could provide the best possible care for patients – the way we’d want our family members to be treated,” saidMark L. Smith, MD, vice chair of surgery at Northwell Health, director of reconstructive oncology atNorthwell’s Cancer Institute and executive director of the Friedman Center. “We know patients feel nervous and overwhelmed when they come in either before or after a mastectomy. We’ve created a serene and nurturing environment to help women make the best medical decisions during a stressful time.”
Upon entering the Friedman Center, patients are ushered into a sophisticated and inviting waiting area featuring comfortable high back grey couches with throw pillows. Light peach and grey-colored accent chairs dot the room along with stylish coffee tables. White-washed grey floors and custom art work throughout the facility add to the decor.
The facility is equipped with six large, updated exam rooms with an additional six exam rooms available via a connected space. The rooms are designed with an integrated consultation area with a table, a flat screen monitor and comfortable chairs to make it easier for the surgeon to discuss treatment options with the patient as well as loved ones accompanying her. The rooms are used for post-operative appointments and office procedures including medical tattooing to restore pigmentation for nipple and areola areas. To help women relax, the overhead lights can be dimmed and soothing music is also available. Also part of the Center is a state-of the-art conference room with teleconferencing capability used for community and patient education activities.
Joining Dr. Smith at the Friedman Center are four esteemed plastic reconstructive surgeons, all of whom were based previously at three different offices in the area. The new center fosters greater collaboration among the surgeons: Armen Kasabian, MD, Adam Perry, MD, Victor Moon, MD, and Neil Tanna, MD. With decades of experience, hundreds of peer-reviewed publications and research presentations among the team, these surgeons have achieved major advances in their field.
Leading-edge reconstructive surgery services offered by the center’s surgeons include procedures such as DIEP (Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator Flap), which uses skin and fat from the abdomen to reconstruct the breast; and PAP (Profunda Artery Perforator Flap), a technique that uses skin and fat from the thigh to reconstruct the breast. Other innovative techniques include immediate lymphatic reconstruction after lymph node removal to prevent arm swelling, hybrid breast reconstruction using microsurgical flaps and implants, robotic mastectomy and reconstruction, and corrections of unsatisfactory reconstructions. In addition, the surgeons at the Friedman Center developed a unique Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program, which improves pain management while limiting the use of narcotics, allowing patient’s to leave the hospital in half the time.
Patients at the Friedman Center have access to a dedicated navigator who helps guide them to Northwell Health resources, including genetics, breast surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, gynecology, physical therapy and support services.
“Being part of a large health system with experts in every area of breast cancer treatment allows us to fully evaluate complex conditions and provide seamless patient care,” said Dr. Smith, while adding that a unique aspect of the center is the support provided by former patients who share their experiences with women currently undergoing treatment. “It’s an invaluable aspect of our program for women to talk with others who have been in their shoes.”