Dr. Robert J. Allen

Dr. Robert J. Allen, MD, is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon with extensive clinical experience across all facets of breast reconstruction, with a special interest in microsurgical breast reconstruction. He also has significant experience in oncologic head and neck reconstruction. Dr. Allen performs procedures at Memorial Hospital and the Josie Robertson Surgery Center, and sees patients at the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care in New York City as well as MSK Basking Ridge in New Jersey.

Dr. Allen specializes in microsurgical techniques that use a patient's own tissues to restore form and function following cancer treatment. His approach centers on transplanting skin and fat, without muscle, from an ideal donor site to the affected area, offering a safe and natural path to reconstruction. The procedures he performs include the deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP), superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA), profunda artery perforator (PAP), lateral thigh perforator (LTP), lumbar artery perforator (LAP), gluteal artery perforator (GAP), and thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP) flaps, among others. This range of techniques allows him to select the most appropriate donor site for each individual patient.

Recognizing that cancer and its treatments affect patients on both a physical and psychosocial level, Dr. Allen is committed to helping his patients return to how they were before treatment in terms of both form and function. He develops individualized approaches for each patient, taking into account their unique needs and goals as they return to daily life after surgery. His focus on patient-centered, microsurgery-driven reconstruction reflects a philosophy of restoring not just appearance but overall well-being.