Rudolph S Runnels Jr, MD

He is vain and a social climber. I do not care that he had lunch with the governor, is going to hollywood to do surgery on a starlet (really???)... He botoxs his entire face and is vain. All that being said, he plays god deciding whether or not he thinks you should be reconstructed after breast cancer. He bases those decisions, at times, on things other than medical reasons. He retaliated against me and called my surgeon 16 hours prior to my surgery and stated he was not going to do it as he had decided I should not be reconstructed because I was not grateful enough??? He had made that decision 3 days prior but waited to tell until it was almost too late to find another surgeon (I did find one). The surgeon was angry at him. He only wants grateful patients (he told me I wasn't grateful enough - um no I was still upset over the breast cancer diagnosis and that I hadn't decided years ago to chop off the second breast when I had breast cancer the first time). He also can not do the full range of reconstructions (he can not, for example, do a diep flap, free tram flap and several other newer reconstructions that use less muscle and are less damaging to the donor site - I don't think he is keeping up) and chooses not to mention options he can not do. As a result it is on you to research this kind of stuff on your own (check any comprehensive cancer center like MD Anderson's website and they have detailed information about the various choices on the web). He recommended a lat flap since I preferred not to have an implant and had already had a free tram on the other side (you can't do that twice) however when I read about it and pointed out it was contraindicated if you use a wheelchair, walker, etc for mobility he said, well you don't use one so that is irrelevant. I told him I don't now but what about when I am 80? I might. He was angry I questioned him and then brought up information he either did not know or had chosen not to disclose. I have since run into two other people who had the same experience with him that I did. Both were assertive with him, which his ego can not handle, and with both of them he then retaliated by pulling out of the surgery the afternoon before the surgery. Unfortunately patient abandonment is not illegal in Mississippi. As a result, if you use him. be very, very careful how you interact with him. After my experiences with this and the primary surgeon (who is about 15 years out of date in his techniques although where he trained is excellent - he just never moved forward from what was state of the art when he was trained), I'd suggest going to MD Anderson for surgery and reconstruction. You can still do chemo, radiation, etc. back here (and Dr. Craft at university of mississippi is an excellent breast oncologist - she keeps up, spends time with you, is caring...).

I do not mind side boob, in fact I think it is sexy. Instead I got overly close to my sternum breast with a likelihood of Symmastia. Not only that but one breast is bigger.What is aggravating is at my five day PO I mentioned more pain in left side. He viewed my pics and confirmed they were the same size pre-op. Then one month PO I addressed concern again and he views the pics and says "oh, your left breast was larger pre-op.Also, I called in concern for Symmastia, the nurse said they haven't had a s case in 5 years. When I came in for consult, Dr. Runnels says he has never seen Synmastia.I had written out an explanation of what I wanted. And it clearly stated cosmetically and medically safe. I certainly did not want synmastia, the complication rarely successfully repaired at the cost of $12,000 by a skilled Dr. In this specific issue.Sad part is- I know he has many patients and probably forgets what he has told me. But, if your honest, your response will not change.I just wish he would acknowledge the problem.

When I first met Dr. Runnels I was dissapointed in his opinion. I did not want to hear that after 2 years of chemotherapy 33 rounds of radiation and a mastectomy I still did not qualify for reconstructive surgery. I left his office mad and dssapointed. He did prescribe phisical therapy to assist in the moibization of my arm. Six months later, I am 60 pounds lighter, 67 dress sizes smaller, and a non smoker. I did not want to do any of these things but, Dr. Runnels was honest enough to tell me that I had 3 things against healing, I was over weight, I smoked, and I had radiation. I went to visit Dr. Runnels recently and I now qualify for reconstruction. It is not going to be fun. But..I can look forward to being 60 with perky boobs, non smoker, cancer free, and working on a size 12.. For a woman 5'9" and a larger frame, I can palm a man's basket ball, I think a size 12 is good. I have more self confidence and also plan on continuing my efforts to stay healthy. I am not going vegitarian yet but am headed that way. Junk food is out, whole grains, no and low fat dairy products, and working out at least 4 days with a combiantion of strenght and carido training have given me a new interest and role in life. Cancer took away my old life and now I have a new and better one. Dr.Runnels was responsible for putting me on the path to this new way of life. Thank You Dr. Runnels

My left breast is smaller than my right and my nipples are not centered. I expected better from Dr.Runnels, as he comes recommended in the state of Mississippi....I should have went out of state for the procedure!

CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD ABOUT THIS GUY!