A Yorkshire first as Dewsbury mum receives revolutionary breast reconstruction surgery at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield

Sarah Craven was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, at the age of 38.

Following her diagnosis, she had reconstructive surgery using tissue from her tummy to create a right breast.

When she was deemed eligible for a prophylactic mastectomy (where breasts are removed to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer) - she took the decision to have her left breast removed.

Because Sarah had previously had reconstructive surgery using her tummy tissue to reconstruct her right breast, she was left with few options for her left breast.

Sarah met with Will Holmes, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust who saw the opportunity to carry out a bilateral PAP flap breast reconstruction surgery which involves using tissue from a patient's own thigh to create a new breast after a mastectomy, something that had never been done before at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield.

The mum-of-two was keen to progress with the surgery, which was initially delayed due to Covid-19 but was finally able to take place in May earlier this year.

Sarah said: “I am lucky to the best plastic surgeon and team and I can’t thank them enough for all they have and continue to do for me. The surgery was 100 per cent worth it and I am thrilled with the results.”

Will Holmes, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, said: “I knew this type of reconstructive surgery was something Sarah would benefit from.

"Given her previous surgery it was a perfect solution for her.

“I had only seen the surgery done before during my fellowship. However, the Trust had recently appointed consultant Mr Nikos Lymperopoulos, who had experience with this procedure when he worked at Guys & St Thomas Hospital in London – one of the top three hospitals in the country for carrying out this type of surgery.

“With support from our head of service we decided to go ahead and use the opportunity to invite some top plastic surgeons from Guys & St Thomas to Mid Yorks NHS Trust to assist us with Sarah’s surgery.

“To learn from some of the best was a great experience for everyone who was involved in the day.

"Having the opportunity to learn newer techniques will provide huge benefits for future patients in Yorkshire seeking breast reconstruction, pushing the boundaries of what we can offer compared to neighbouring hospitals.

“We also received fantastic feedback from the visiting surgeons who felt our scrub team, nursing staff, anaesthetic support and facilities rivalled anything they have seen elsewhere and were hugely impressive for a hospital of our size.”

Karen Stone, the former medical Director for the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which covers hospitals in Wakefield, Pontefract and Dewsbury, added: “Thank you to everyone who was involved in making this possible, for Sarah and the Trust.

"I understand Sarah is recovering well and wishes to thank everyone involved in her continued care.

"Sarah’s story is a great example of how surgeons at our Trust strive to achieve the best results for our patients.

"I know our teams look forward to being able to help more patients like Sarah with this type of reconstructive surgery in the future.”