Ryan Maxwell Dickey, M.D.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Division of Surgery
About Dr. Ryan Maxwell Dickey
Ryan Dickey, MD, is a board-certified plastic surgeon and Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and completed plastic surgery training at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he received numerous awards in research and teaching. He gained additional expertise with fellowship training in microvascular reconstructive surgery at MD Anderson. Dr. Dickey offers a broad portfolio of breast reconstruction options for patients to select from, including autologous and implant-based reconstruction, as well as novel approaches in nipple sparing techniques and resensation.
Conditions treated include:
– Post-mastectomy reconstruction
– Segmental mastectomy (lumpectomy) reconstruction
– Changing from implant to natural-tissue reconstruction (autologous conversion)
– Reconstruction after flat closure
– Reconstruction after abdominoplasty or breast augmentation
Procedures performed include:
– Perforator flap breast reconstruction (DIEP, LAP, PAP flaps)
– Stacked flap and bipedicled breast reconstruction
– Oncoplastic breast reconstruction
– Direct-to-implant reconstruction
– Contralateral symmetrizing procedures
– Single stage mastopexy with nipple sparing mastectomy
– Nipple sensation procedures
– Prophylactic lymphovenous bypass
Dr. Dickey tailors his approach to each patient’s specific anatomy and goals, emphasizing shared decision making at each step of the reconstructive process. His research interests focus on technical innovations in breast reconstruction and improving patient outcomes and aesthetics after breast cancer.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Plastic Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2017 | Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, US, Doctor of Medicine |
| 2013 | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US, Bachelor of Music |
Postgraduate Training
| 2023-2024 | Clinical Fellowship, Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2017-2023 | Clinical Residency, Plastic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2025 | American Board of Plastic Surgery |
| 2021 | Texas Medical License |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Administrative Chief Resident, Plastic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, 2022 - 2023
Intramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Goal Concordant Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2026 - Present
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Inaugural Member, Medical Advisory Committee, BreastReconstruction.org, 2025 - Present
Editorial Activities
Co-Editor, Plastic Surgery Section, Current Surgery Reports, 2025 - Present
Resident Advisory Board Member, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2020 - 2023
Honors & Awards
| 2023 | UT Southwestern Resident Excellence in Research Award |
| 2023 | UT Southwestern Resident Excellence in Teaching Award |
| 2021 | Texas Society for Plastic Surgeons, 1st place scientific paper |
| 2017 | Αlpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society |
| 2016 | Earl Glenn Standlee Scholarship |
| 2015 | American Association for Thoracic Surgery Member for a Day Program Scholarship |
| 2009 | Kenan Music Scholar, University of North Carolina |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2025. Aesthetic Donor Site Closure. Invited. APP Learning Series, US.
- 2025. Recipient Vessel Preparation. MD Anderson Microsurgery Course, Microsurgery Fellows, Lecturer.
- 2013. Age-related Differences in Pain Recovery after Motor Vehicle Collision: A Prospective Longitudinal Study. Poster. UNC Celebration of Undergraduate Research Symposium. Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US.
National Presentations
- 2025. Reconstructive Challenges Breast Webinar. Invited. American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery, US.
- 2025. Restoring NAC Sensation in Breast Reconstruction. Axogen Cadaveric Professional Education Course. Chicago, Illinois, US.
- 2022. Abandoning the SIEA flap for the “Dual-Plane” DIEP Reduces Fat Necrosis and Flap Failure. Poster. American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery. Carlsbad, California, US.
- 2021. Four-Flap Breast Reconstruction Outcomes: BREAST-Q and Donor Site Comparison. Poster. American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Annual Meeting. Atlanta, Georgia, US.
- 2021. The Efficient DIEP Flap: Process Analysis in Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction. Poster. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Atlanta, Georgia, US.
- 2021. Four-Flap Breast Reconstruction Outcomes: BREAST-Q and Donor Site Comparison. Poster. Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons, Annual Meeting. San Antonio, Texas, US.
- 2021. External ear reconstruction with porous polyethylene implants: assessing outcomes and surgeon learning curve. Poster. Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons, Annual Meeting. San Antonio, Texas, US.
- 2021. External ear reconstruction with porous polyethylene implants: assessing outcomes and surgeon learning curve. Poster. 78th American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association Annual Meeting, US.
- 2020. Treatment of Non-Replantable Total Thumb Amputation at the CMC Level Using Index Finger Pollicization. Poster. American Society for Surgery of the Hand, Virtual Annual Meeting, US.
- 2020. Intraoperative Microvascular Complications In Autologous Breast Reconstructions: The Effects Of Resident Training On Microsurgical Outcomes. Poster. Plastic Surgery Research Council, Annual Meeting, US.
- 2020. Patient Selection For DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction In The Obese Population: Stratifying Surgical Risk Factors For Patient Inclusion Or Exclusion. Poster. Plastic Surgery Research Council Virtual, Annual Meeting, US.
- 2019. An Algorithmic Approach to the Superficial Inferior Epigastric System Reduces Fat Necrosis in Breast Reconstruction. Poster. Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons, Annual Meeting. Galveston, Texas, US.
- 2016. Evolution-Based Learning and Clinical Coaching. In American Medical Association, ed. Turn Med Ed on its Head: American Medical Association Medical Education Innovation Challenge. Poster. American Medical Association. Chicago, Illinois, US.
- 2015. Augmented Reality Assisted Urologic Surgery (ARAUS): A Surgical Training Tool. Poster. American Urological Association. New Orleans, Louisiana, US.
- 2015. 3D Microsurgical Vasovasostomy. American Urological Association; Sony Booth. New Orleans, Louisiana, US.
- 2015. Inequity Between Male and Female Infertility Coverage In State Insurance Laws. Poster. American Urological Association; Podium Presentation. New Orleans, Louisiana, US.
- 2014. Inequity Exists Between Male and Female Infertility Coverage in State Insurance Laws. Poster. American Medical Student Association Training Ground Conference. Chicago, Illinois, US.
- 2014. Inequity Exists Between Male and Female Infertility Coverage in State Insurance Laws. Poster. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Honolulu, Hawaii, US.
- 2013. Pain Treatment in Older Adults During Prehospital Care in North Carolina: A Descriptive Analysis. Poster. Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. Atlanta, Georgia, US.
- 2012. Side Effects of Opioid-Containing Analgesics vs. Non-opioid Analgesics for Acute Musculoskeletal Pain in Older Adults: a Cross-Sectional Study. Poster. Association for Clinical Research Training. Washington, D.C, District of Columbia, US.
International Presentations
- 2026. Nipple Sparing Mastectomy in Patients with Ptosis. Invited. International Microsurgery Club Young Admins Webinar. Virtual, US.
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Elmorsi R, Shay P, Babu A, Clemens MW, Schaverien MV, Chu CK, Olenczak JB, Dickey R, Mericli AF. Safety of Brand Discordant Tissue Expanders and Implants in Staged Breast Reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41874323.
- Hinson, C, Ruta, MR, Sink, M, Dickey, RM, Odobescu, A. Rethinking Virchow’s Triad in the Age of Microsurgery. Current Surgery Reports 13(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Gonzalez XT, Roubaud MS, Schaverien MV, Largo RD, Parham CS, Francis AM, Chen TA, Hoffman AS, Dickey RM, Markey MK, Reece GP. Assessment of Appearance-related Questions About Breast Reconstruction Generated by Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 13(3):e6625, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40125461.
- Dickey RM, Teotia S, Haddock NT. How to Start a Microsurgery Practice: Success and Sustainability in Academic Practice. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open 12(2):e5571, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38317654.
- Dickey RM, Amaya J, Teotia SS, Haddock NT. Influence of Triple-Negative versus Luminal A Breast Cancer Subtype on Choice of Autologous versus Implant-Based Delayed-Immediate Breast Reconstruction. Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery 39(4):264-271, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34666408.
- Rodnoi P, Dickey RM, Teotia SS, Haddock NT. Increased Opioid Consumption following DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction: Effect of Depression and Anxiety. Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery 38(9):742-748, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35714625.
- Dickey RM, Meade AE, Agnew SP, Zhang AY. Treatment of Nonreplantable Total Thumb Amputation at the CMC Level Using Index Finger Pollicization. Hand 17(6):1154-1162, 2022. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33487028.
- Haddock NT, Dickey RM, Perez K, Garza R, Liu Y, Teotia SS. BREAST-Q and Donor Site Comparison in Bilateral Stacked Autologous Breast Reconstruction. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open 10(7):e4413, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35923986.
- Teotia SS, Dickey RM, Liu Y, Jayaraman AP, Haddock NT. Intraoperative Microvascular Complications In Autologous Breast Reconstruction: The Effects Of Resident Training On Microsurgical Outcomes. Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery 37(4):309-314, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 32892333.
- Dickey RM, Geisler EL, Derderian CA. Congenital Inverted Conchal Bowl Deformity: Proposed Technique in 2 Patients. The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery 31(6):1831-1832, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32833830.
- Dickey RM, Hembd AS, Fruge S, Haddock NT, Papas KK, Suszynski TM. Composite Tissue Preservation. Annals of Plastic Surgery. Annals of Plastic Surgery 84(6):711-716, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31972575.
- Braun TL, Louis MR, Dickey RM, Buchanan EP. A Sustainable and Scalable Approach to the Provision of Cleft Care: A Focus on Safety and Quality. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 142(2):463-468, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30045182.
- Louis M, Dickey RM, Hollier LH Jr.. Smile Train: Making the Grade in Global Cleft Care. Craniomaxillofacial Trauma and Reconstruction 11(1):1-5, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29387297.
- Dickey RM, Srikishen N, Lipshultz LI, Spiess PE, Carrion RE, Hakky TS. Augmented Reality Assisted Surgery: A Urologic Training Tool. Asian Journal of Andrology 18(5):732-724, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26620455.
- Commander SJ, Chamata E, Cox J, Dickey RM, Lee EI. Update on Postsurgical Scar Management. Seminars in Plastic Surgery 30(2):122-128, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27478420.
- Meaike JD, Dickey RM, Killion E, Bartlett EL, Brown RH. Facial Skin Cancer Reconstruction. Seminars in Plastic Surgery 30(3):108-121, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27478419.
- Dickey RM, Louis MR, Cox JA, Mohan K, Lee EI, Nigro MG. Noninvasive Facial Rejuvenation. Part 2: Physician-Directed-Neuromodulators and Fillers. Seminars in Plastic Surgery 30(3):134-142, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27478422.
- Dupree JM, Dickey RM, Lipshultz LI. Inequity between male and female coverage in state infertility laws. Fertil Steril 105(6):1519-22, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26953734.
- Mohan K, Cox JA, Dickey RM, Gravina P, Echo A, Izaddoost SA, Nguyen AH. Treatment of Infected Facial Implants. Seminars in Plastic Surgery 30(2):78-82, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27152100.
- Seruya M, Dickey RM, Fakhro A. Surgical Treatment of Pediatric Upper Limb Spasticity: The Wrist and Hand. Semin Plast Surg 30(1):29-38, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26869861.
- Dickey RM, Ramasamy R.. Role of Male Factor Testing in Recurrent Pregnancy Loss or In Vitro Fertilization Failure. Journal of Reproductive System and Sexual Disorders. Journal of Reproductive System and Sexual Disorders 4(3):1000e122, 2015. e-Pub 2015.
- Platts-Mills TF, Hunold KM, Weaver MA, Dickey RM, Fernandez AR, Fillingim RB, Cairns CB, McLean SA. Pain treatment for older adults during prehospital emergency care: variations by patient gender and pain severity. J Pain 14(9):966-74, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23726936.
- Hunold KM, Esserman DA, Isaacs CG, Dickey RM, Pereira GF, Fillingim RB, Sloane PD, McLean SA, Platts-Mills TF. Side effects from oral opioids in older adults during the first week of treatment for acute musculoskeletal pain. Acad Emerg Med 20(9):872-9, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24033733.
Review Articles
- Shankar, M, Lipscomb, K, Dickey, RM, Yu, JZ. Updates in Oncoplastic Breast Reconstruction. Current Surgery Reports 13(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Dickey RM. Spotlight in Plastic Surgery. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 154(1):258-260, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39008295.
- Phillips BT, Alser O, Dickey RM, Kapila AK, Kareh AM, Moura FS, Retchkiman M, Rodriguez-Unda NA, Shulzhenko NO, Wang HC, Gosain AK. Spotlight in Plastic Surgery. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 148(4):935-937, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34495924.
- Dickey RM, Kania KE, Hollier LH Jr. Review of “Getting Clearer About Surgical Innovation” by Hutchison K, Rogers W, Eyers A, Lotz M in Ann Surg 262:949-954, 2015. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery 27(3):810, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Kania KE, Dickey RM, Hollier LH Jr. Review of “Assessing Awareness and Implementation of a Recommendation for Surgical Innovation Committees: A Survey of Academic Institutions” by McNair LA, Biffl WL in Ann Surg 262:941–948, 2015. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery 27(3):810, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Dickey RM, Hollier LH Jr. Review of “Effects of Art on Surgical Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis” by Vetter D, Barth J, Uyulmaz S, et al. in Annals of Surgery 2015; 262(5):704-713. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery 17(2):527-528, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Dickey RM, Hollier LH Jr.. Review of “Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Incidence of Hospital-Acquired Complications Following Cerebrovascular Procedures” by Wen T, Attenello FJ, He S, Cen Y, Kim-Tenser MA, Sanossian N, Amar AP, Mack WJ in Neurosurgery 75: 43–50, 2014. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery 26(4):1413, 2015. e-Pub 2015.
- Dickey RM, Pastuszak AW, Hakky TS, Chandrashekar A, Ramasamy R, Lipshultz LI. The evolution of vasectomy reversal. Curr Urol Rep 16(6):40, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25980804.
Professional Educational Materials
- Dickey RM. Can a 3D-Printed Microscope Close the Global Microsurgery Training Gap?. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2026.
Abstracts
- Ndiaye PD, Nizzero S, Srivastava G, Schaverien MV, Hassid VJ, Shay PL, Shuck JW, Clemens MW, Yu JZ, Ha AY, Reece G, Roubaud MJ, Mericli AF, Villa M, Francis AM, Adelman DM, Baumann D, Christensen JM, Dickey R, Hanwright P, Kapur SK, Edward JB, Olenczak, Sahin AA, Paredes E, Jizawi A, Appenzeller T, Loparic M, Plodinec M, Smith, Benjamin, Artidis AG. EMPOwER Study: Predicting Implant Failure through Tissue Mechanics Analysis in Breast Reconstruction. e-Pub 2025.
- XT Gonzalez, MS Roubaud, MV Schaverien, RD Largo, CS Parham, AM Francis, TA Chen, A Hoffman, RM Dickey, MK Markey, GP Reece. Dear ChatGPT: How do I ask my doctor what I will look like after breast reconstruction?. AI in Health Conference.
Book Chapters
- Dickey RM, Kania K, Hollier LH Jr. Pediatric Facial Trauma. In: Pediatric Trauma: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. 2. CRC Press, 193-199, 2017.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 30, 2026