Top breast surgeon on way to N&N


17 October 2005 12:19

Norfolk's flagship hospital is set to become the UK's leading centre for breast reconstruction surgery after it was announced one of the world's leading surgeons was to work in the county.

Bob Allen has pioneered a revolutionary technique to ease the suffering of women with breast cancer and, from December, he will be carrying out reconstructive surgery at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital after being invited by consultant plastic surgeon Elaine Sasson.

He will also pass on his expertise to surgeons in the region, enabling more women to benefit from his technique that reconstructs the breast using fatty tissue from the patient rather than muscle or implants.

Dr Allen is planning to visit Norwich up to three times a year in three-week stints to operate and teach.

Ironically, it is the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans that has benefited Norfolk, as the flooding forced Dr Allen to close his practice in the American city.

Dr Allen said: "I was living in New Orleans when Katrina struck and had to leave. Different people made me different offers and suggestions but I had been to Norwich before and Elaine said I should come back, which sounded really interesting, so I agreed."

While Dr Allen has made a firm commitment to come to Norwich, there is still the necessary paperwork and accreditation to secure but that is understood to be little more than a formality.

"It will happen. I have a commitment to come and do the work," he said. "I think it will be a situation where I come there three times a year and operate to do breast reconstruction work with Elaine Sassoon."

On each visit he would perform around seven reconstruction operations using his new technique.

"I would also imagine there would be a teaching situation, where registrars and others would be interested in learning what I have to teach."

It is understood part of that link could be through the University of East Anglia's medical school, with Dr Allen offered honorary professor status.

His visits would also be virtually self-funding, with Dr Allen performing private operations in the evenings and at weekends, and operating on NHS patients with the N&N reconstructive surgery team during the day.

Dr Allen's so-called Perforator Flaps technique uses the patient's own tissue to rebuild the breast without sacrificing muscle tissue, with the new variation taking the fat from the bottom of the patient's buttock rather than the top or the stomach. This helps maintain a woman's body shape better and keeps scars hidden.

He explained: "This is going to be an emerging speciality as you get a much better outcome."

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