Dr. Ayesha Cheema is a primary care doctor with Mercy Personal Physicians at Columbia. She offers experienced and thoughtful primary care for adults of Howard County.
Mercy doctors offer a breakthrough treatment for hepatitis C that cures most patients and saves lives. Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus and can lead to permanent liver damage if untreated.
Mercy's renowned breast center offers award-winning care and Board Certified doctors. The Breast Center's comprehensive care is designed for women undergoing the journey to overcome breast disease.
Mercy offers emergency care on the Downtown Baltimore campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (410-332-9477) with access to a trained emergency medicine team, diagnostic services and consultations with specialists.
In case of an Emergency, Dial 911 and follow the instructions of the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) team.
Mercy Medical Center's downtown campus includes our Main Hospital - The Mary Catherine Bunting Center, McAuley Plaza and The Weinberg Center.
General visiting hours at Mercy are 11:00 am to 8:30 pm. Hours vary by floor, please check with the nursing staff or call 410-332-9555.
TUG flap breast reconstruction, or Transverse Upper Gracilis flap breast reconstruction, is a microsurgical procedure for breast reconstruction offered by the plastic surgeons of The Breast Reconstruction and Restoration Center at Mercy. As experts in microsurgical breast reconstruction, our doctors work with patients to develop the best treatment plan for breast reconstruction.
TUG flap breast reconstruction uses the inner portion of the patient’s upper thigh to create a new breast. Tissue along with the gracilis muscle are removed from just under the groin crease and reconnected to the mastectomy site using microsurgical techniques. Whereas other breast reconstruction procedures, such as DIEP flap, SGAP flap, and IGAP flap, do not remove any muscle, the relocation of muscle from the thigh does not interfere with the leg function.
TUG flap breast reconstruction is an option for patients with small to medium-sized breasts who do not need their breasts reconstructed with a lot of volume. For patients who do not want an abdominal scar, have had a tummy tuck, do not have enough abdominal tissue for a DIEP flap, or enough buttock tissue for a SGAP flap or IGAP flap, the TUG flap breast reconstruction is a treatment option.
The shape of the flap taken from the inner thigh during TUG flap breast reconstruction enables a natural looking breast as well as the possibility to create an areola and nipple without further surgeries.
Mercy's breast reconstruction surgeons coordinate with the breast cancer surgeons at The Hoffberger Breast Center at Mercy, to develop the best treatment option for each patient wanting breast reconstruction following mastectomy.
Dr. Bernie Chang is Director of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Mercy and also leads The Breast Reconstruction and Restoration Center. He pioneered treatment options like DIEP flap breast reconstruction.
Jennifer, breast cancer survivor and avid horse racing fan, tells the story of her diagnosis, treatment and recovery.