News

September 2008

Breast cancer patients not offered all options for reconstruction

Free DVD for breast cancer patients revealing range of alternatives

An inequality in breast reconstruction options for mastectomy patients has been highlighted by a West Sussex hospital. The Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH) announced that women considering breast reconstruction following breast cancer are often not given the full range of options available for reconstruction in what can sometimes be a ‘postcode lottery' - and may end up choosing an option that isn't right for them or which requires further plastic surgery in the future. In light of this, the hospital has launched a free DVD, available nationally, which gives comprehensive information about the reconstruction options available, as well as information on ‘finishing touches' such as nipple reconstruction and nipple tattooing.

The DVD (www.breastreconstructionforlife.org.uk) includes the personal journey of a woman undergoing the procedure, and interviews with other women in the process and gives expert advice on the best options and how to go about accessing them.

According to Charles Nduka, consultant plastic surgeon at QVH who directed the DVD:

"There are four different options for breast reconstruction following mastectomy but not all of these are offered as a standard, and indeed in hospitals where there isn't a plastic surgeon the patient may never know the full range of alternatives. This DVD seeks to raise awareness of the options and techniques so that women can make the right choice for their lifestyle."

Read more at:
http://www.qvh.nhs.uk/news/breast_reconstruction_options_DVD.html

October 2007

Face paralysis surgery 'miracle'

A woman who had a pioneering operation for facial paralysis at a West Sussex hospital has said the surgeon who carried it out was a "miracle man".

Vivvy Butler, from Surrey, said she felt normal again and was able to smile after the temporalis tendon transfer at the Queen Victoria Hospital.

"This operation gave me back my face, which is wonderful," she said.

Plastic surgeon Charles Nduka said he hoped the technique would become more widely available across the UK.

Read more at:
BBC News
Watch video at BBC News
ThisIsCourier.co.uk

September 2006

3D Research wins Hackett prize

Researcher and trainee plastic surgeon Marlene See was awarded the Memorial Hackett prize by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) at their annual meeting in September. The work, supervised by consultant plastic surgeon Mr Charles Nduka, demonstrated for the first time the application of 3D imaging for objective evaluation of the changes in facial morphology in mother-daughter pairs.

July 2006

Research presented to the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) shows how technology can measure the aging process.

www.privatehealth.co.uk/cosmetic-surgery/news/july-2006/new-face-scanner

June 2006

Mr Charles Nduka gives a talk at the National Portraiture Gallery entitled 'Plastic Surgery: Living Portraiture?'

National Portrait Gallery will host a seminar on 3D and Installation Portraiture on Thursday 15 June 2006.

This is the third in a series of challenging seminars on contemporary portraiture and its place in modern art at the gallery. The event is organised by Alla Tkachuk, artist-in-residence, Queen Mary, University of London, in conjunction with the National Portrait Gallery.

This seminar will bring together leading artists and critics. It offers a rare opportunity with such participants to present and discuss the representation of human form and identity in sculpture, sound, mechanical & maquette formats and in 3D modelling and animation.

The event will be chaired by Tim Teeman, visual arts editor, The Times. Other participants are Heidi Reitmaier, the Tate Gallery, Jim Thacker, editor of 3D World magazine, and Charles Nduka, a leading facial surgeon.

March 2006

British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons hold their first course on Photography and Photodocumentation

'The one-day course, to be held later this month, will offer advice on data-protection issues, and explore advances in digital imaging as well as teach surgeons how to improve the accuracy of their before-and-after photographs.'



For more on this story, follow these links

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4766562.stm

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=372082006