Specialized Plastic Surgery at ECMC
Dr. Jordan Frey discusses specialized Plastic Surgery at ECMC.
Featuring:
Learn more about Jordan Frey, MD
Jordan Frey, MD
Dr. Jordan Frey is a plastic surgeon in the Center for Cancer Care, Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at ECMC. His clinical interests include alloplastic (implant) and autologous (own tissue) breast reconstruction, nipple-sparing mastectomy, lymphedema surgery, complex microsurgery of the head and neck, extremities, and trunk, as well as body contouring and aesthetic surgery.Learn more about Jordan Frey, MD
Transcription:
Bill Klaproth: (Host) For patients facing either abnormal function or appearance after trauma or illness, the ECMC plastic surgery and reconstructive center offers specialty plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery care to restore a sense of normalcy and wellness after an illness or injury. So let's learn more with Dr. Jordan Fry, a plastic surgeon in the center for cancer care department of head and neck surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery at ECMC. Dr. Fry, thank you so much for your time, so, first off, what types of specialty plastic surgery do you perform?
Dr. Jordan Fry: (Guest) Sure. Yeah, first, thanks for having me. So a lot of different types of kind of specialized plastic surgery procedures that I do, my specialty is in microsurgery, which is a broad field that essentially, performs reconstruction on different parts of the body after cancer or, trauma. It uses a microscope and essentially, what we're doing is moving tissue from one area of the body to another, to reconstruct something that has been taken away.
Host: So with this type of surgery, is this mainly because of cancer or can it be injury as well?
Dr. Fry: Yeah, both, unfortunately both being very common and those are kind of the main reasons that we do it. So of the most common is for breast cancer reconstruction. So unfortunately one in eight women in the U S will experience breast cancer. And if they have to undergo an operation to remove the breast. We can use their own tissue, usually from the belly or the thighs to reconstruct their breasts again, using only their own tissue. So without requiring an implant, and that's a great option for some people. In terms of trauma, a lot of times unfortunately happens, that people's arms or legs that in an accident and they have really bad injuries that require these microsurgery techniques to fix and be able to salvage their extremity. That's another reason that we use this.
Host: So when it comes to this micro surgery, what can people expect? What is involved?
Dr. Fry: Yeah. So the first thing I always tell them is there's a little bit of a shock with the length of the surgeries. Cause its usually surgeries that take on the order of maybe four, six, eight hours, so kind of longer. But I always tell people it's, it's not a dangerous surgery. It's just a long surgery because we're being very meticulous and careful. But depending on the reason you're having the surgery, it's really not too bad of a recovery. I'll use breast reconstruction as an example, it used to be that people after they were getting this type of micro surgery, breast reconstruction, they'd have to stay in the hospital for, a week or more. Now it's really three days and then be able to go home and get back to their lives. And so it's really a very manageable recovery.
Host: Oh, that is good news. And with this type of surgery are multiple surgeries usually required?
Dr. Fry: It usually is, you know, are there times where it can sort of be a one-shot type of thing? Sure. But our goals as a plastic surgeon, reconstructive surgeon, obviously aesthetics is tied into everything and we're really shooting to give people back what was taken away by something like cancer trauma. So doing some revision or touch up surgeries that are much, much simpler and shorter than the main surgery usually happens and certainly is offered by us if desired by the patient.
Host: So you just said an interesting phrase. You're giving people back that was taken away. So this type of surgery really does help someone regain normal function or appearance after trauma or illness or cancer. So the type of surgery you perform really does restore a sense of normalcy in wellness, is that right?
Dr. Fry: Exactly yeah. And that's one of the things, that I'm very passionate about and that, makes me feel very good. And being able to help people with these sorts of techniques, it's unique and it's something that is, is newer and we're innovative. And, we're always just trying to get better and better at restoring people.
Host: Yeah, that's really good. So then Dr. Fry, when it comes to specialized plastic surgery at ECMC. What is most important for all of us to know.
Dr. Fry: I think most important is, ECMC really in this regard has become a major player in this type of surgery and microsurgery and plastic surgery, reconstruction, something that I'm originally from Buffalo and, I did my training in New York city where there's obviously major centers and coming here, really drove me to come back was the great work that was being done into, to be a part of and to keep building that. So it's really a place where, if you're experiencing again, something that's been taken away and you're not sure if it can be back or maybe you've been somewhere else and been told that I can't, this is a place that we can help you.
Host: Absolutely, really interesting stuff and good to know that we have this right in our area. Dr. Fry, this has really been informative and insightful. Thank you so much for your time.
Dr. Fry: Thanks for having me.
Host: That's Dr. Jordan Fry. And for more information, call (716) 898-3073. Or visit ECMC.edu. And if you found this podcast helpful, please check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you. This is the True Care Health Cast from Erie County medical center. I'm bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.
Bill Klaproth: (Host) For patients facing either abnormal function or appearance after trauma or illness, the ECMC plastic surgery and reconstructive center offers specialty plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery care to restore a sense of normalcy and wellness after an illness or injury. So let's learn more with Dr. Jordan Fry, a plastic surgeon in the center for cancer care department of head and neck surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery at ECMC. Dr. Fry, thank you so much for your time, so, first off, what types of specialty plastic surgery do you perform?
Dr. Jordan Fry: (Guest) Sure. Yeah, first, thanks for having me. So a lot of different types of kind of specialized plastic surgery procedures that I do, my specialty is in microsurgery, which is a broad field that essentially, performs reconstruction on different parts of the body after cancer or, trauma. It uses a microscope and essentially, what we're doing is moving tissue from one area of the body to another, to reconstruct something that has been taken away.
Host: So with this type of surgery, is this mainly because of cancer or can it be injury as well?
Dr. Fry: Yeah, both, unfortunately both being very common and those are kind of the main reasons that we do it. So of the most common is for breast cancer reconstruction. So unfortunately one in eight women in the U S will experience breast cancer. And if they have to undergo an operation to remove the breast. We can use their own tissue, usually from the belly or the thighs to reconstruct their breasts again, using only their own tissue. So without requiring an implant, and that's a great option for some people. In terms of trauma, a lot of times unfortunately happens, that people's arms or legs that in an accident and they have really bad injuries that require these microsurgery techniques to fix and be able to salvage their extremity. That's another reason that we use this.
Host: So when it comes to this micro surgery, what can people expect? What is involved?
Dr. Fry: Yeah. So the first thing I always tell them is there's a little bit of a shock with the length of the surgeries. Cause its usually surgeries that take on the order of maybe four, six, eight hours, so kind of longer. But I always tell people it's, it's not a dangerous surgery. It's just a long surgery because we're being very meticulous and careful. But depending on the reason you're having the surgery, it's really not too bad of a recovery. I'll use breast reconstruction as an example, it used to be that people after they were getting this type of micro surgery, breast reconstruction, they'd have to stay in the hospital for, a week or more. Now it's really three days and then be able to go home and get back to their lives. And so it's really a very manageable recovery.
Host: Oh, that is good news. And with this type of surgery are multiple surgeries usually required?
Dr. Fry: It usually is, you know, are there times where it can sort of be a one-shot type of thing? Sure. But our goals as a plastic surgeon, reconstructive surgeon, obviously aesthetics is tied into everything and we're really shooting to give people back what was taken away by something like cancer trauma. So doing some revision or touch up surgeries that are much, much simpler and shorter than the main surgery usually happens and certainly is offered by us if desired by the patient.
Host: So you just said an interesting phrase. You're giving people back that was taken away. So this type of surgery really does help someone regain normal function or appearance after trauma or illness or cancer. So the type of surgery you perform really does restore a sense of normalcy in wellness, is that right?
Dr. Fry: Exactly yeah. And that's one of the things, that I'm very passionate about and that, makes me feel very good. And being able to help people with these sorts of techniques, it's unique and it's something that is, is newer and we're innovative. And, we're always just trying to get better and better at restoring people.
Host: Yeah, that's really good. So then Dr. Fry, when it comes to specialized plastic surgery at ECMC. What is most important for all of us to know.
Dr. Fry: I think most important is, ECMC really in this regard has become a major player in this type of surgery and microsurgery and plastic surgery, reconstruction, something that I'm originally from Buffalo and, I did my training in New York city where there's obviously major centers and coming here, really drove me to come back was the great work that was being done into, to be a part of and to keep building that. So it's really a place where, if you're experiencing again, something that's been taken away and you're not sure if it can be back or maybe you've been somewhere else and been told that I can't, this is a place that we can help you.
Host: Absolutely, really interesting stuff and good to know that we have this right in our area. Dr. Fry, this has really been informative and insightful. Thank you so much for your time.
Dr. Fry: Thanks for having me.
Host: That's Dr. Jordan Fry. And for more information, call (716) 898-3073. Or visit ECMC.edu. And if you found this podcast helpful, please check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you. This is the True Care Health Cast from Erie County medical center. I'm bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.