About me
Laura Tom, MD, is an attending physician in MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery department, whose work is all about uplifting patients. As a general plastic surgeon, Dr. Tom uses inpatient and outpatient cosmetic and reconstructive surgical treatments to improve and/or restore the patient’s quality of life that has been affected by a wide range of conditions, including skin cancer, acute and chronic wounds, lymphedema, and hernias.
More specifically, Dr. Tom specializes in microsurgical complex reconstruction techniques, including microvascular reconstruction and super-microsurgery for lymphedema. Surgical treatment for lymphedema—the swelling in limbs that occurs after the damage or removal of lymph nodes—is a relatively new field of surgery because microscope, instrument, and suture technology have all improved to make the necessary techniques feasible. Most providers and patients are more familiar with the non-surgical means of treating lymphedema, such as massage and compression. But promising surgical approaches are now on the horizon: Using microsurgical techniques, it is sometimes possible to move tissue or attempt reconstruction to bypass lymph nodes that are not working.
Dr. Tom completed her surgical training at the University of Washington in Seattle ,where she helped treat a high volume of patients from all around the Pacific Northwest. She joined Medstar Washington Hospital Center after completing a specialized fellowship in microsurgery and lymphatic surgery at Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona, Spain. During her fellowship, she visited hospitals across Europe and Asia, learning from and networking with experts in complex reconstruction from around the world.
Dr. Tom’s practice at MedStar Washington Hospital Center includes pressure wound surgery, breast surgery, body contouring, complex reconstruction for trauma, cancer and limb salvage, and the surgical treatment of lymphedema. She looks forward to expanding the hospital’s practice, focusing on educating patients about new or developing procedures with the potential to save limbs that would otherwise require amputation, as well as prevent advanced lymphedema from occurring through early interventions.
Philosophy of Care
“My passion is trying to help patients reclaim some of what they feel they’ve lost. I credit my philosophy of care to one of the pioneers in plastic surgery from the 1500's, Gaspare Tagliacozzie, who wrote: ‘We restore, rebuild, and make whole those parts which nature hath given, but which fortune has taken away. Not so much that it may delight the eye, but that it might buoy up the spirit, and help the mind of the afflicted.’
“Whatever misfortune, whether it be trauma or cancer, has happened to the patient, our job is about trying to get them back to what and where they were before, or as close to that as possible - back to work, back to fishing, back to being themselves.
“I completed my fellowship training abroad because I wanted to work with some of the world’s leading experts in specialized lymphatic procedures, so that I could bring their wisdom and experience back to my practice here in Washington, DC. I hope to offer patients solutions they didn’t even know existed.
“The patients here at Washington Hospital Center are phenomenal, and our staff is rock solid. It is a pleasure to come to work every day.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Abdominoplasty
- Body Contouring Surgery
- Breast Augmentation
- Breast Reconstruction
- Gynecomastia Surgery
- Lymphedema
- Mammoplasty
- Microsurgery
- Panniculectomy
- Scar Revision
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Scars
- Acquired Absence Of Breast
- Acquired Deformity Of Reconstructed Breast
- Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
- Basosquamous Carcinoma
- Benign Neoplasm Of Skin
- Breast Asymmetry
- Breast Deformities
- Breast Implant Leak
- Breast Implant Rupture
- Brow Droop
- Burn Scars
- Capsular Contracture
- Cold Extremities
- Compromised Skin Grafts
- Compromised Tissue Flaps
- Congenital Nevi
- Cyst
- Deformity Of Reconstructed Breast
- Disorder Of Earlobe
- Disproportion Of Reconstructed Breast
- Eyelid Trauma
- Facial Lesions
- Facial Nerve Injury
- Facial Nerve Palsy
- Forehead Nodule
- Frostbite
- Frostbite Of Ear
- Frostbite Of Face
- Frostbite Of Nose
- Ganglion Cyst
- Hemangiomas
- History Of Breast Cancer
- Lipedema
- Lipomas
- Lymphedema
- Macrostomia
- Nerve Injury
- Non Healing Wound
- Occipital Mass
- Prominent Ears
- Ptosis Of Breasts
- Radiation Induced Breast Deformity
- Ruptured Implant
- Scar Hypertrophy
- Scar On Neck
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Skin Of Lip
- Upper Extremity Lymphedema
- Vasculitic Ulcers
Procedures I perform
- Abdominal Wall Reconstruction
- Abdominoplasty
- Aesthetic Surgery
- Anterolateral Thigh Flap
- Arm Lift
- Augmentation Mastopexy
- Back Lift
- Blepharoplasty
- Body Contouring Surgery
- Body Lift
- Breast Asymmetry Correction
- Breast Augmentation
- Breast Implant Deformity Correction
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breast Reduction
- Breast Reinnervation
- Breast Revision
- Brow Lift
- Burn Reconstruction
- Circumferential Liposuction Of Calves And Ankles
- Cleft Lip Repair
- Complex Wound Management
- Components Separation
- Coronal Brow Lift
- Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap
- Dermal Fillers
- Direct To Implant Reconstruction
- Ear Plastic Surgery
- Earlobe Reduction
- Excisional Biopsy
- Eyelid Repair
- Fat Grafting
- Fingertip Repair
- Flap Surgery
- Free Tram
- Ganglion Cyst Removal
- Gender Affirmation Surgery
- Gluteal Artery Perforator Flap
- Gynecomastia Surgery
- Implant Based Breast Reconstruction
- Inferior Gluteal Artery Perforator Flap
- Latissimus Flap
- Limb Salvage
- Lip Surgery
- Lipectomy
- Liposuction
- Liposuction Of The Abdomen
- Liposuction Of The Arms
- Liposuction Of The Buttocks
- Liposuction Of The Cheeks
- Liposuction Of The Chin
- Liposuction Of The Face
- Liposuction Of The Hips
- Liposuction Of The Knees
- Liposuction Of The Legs
- Liposuction Of The Love Handles
- Liposuction Of The Neck
- Liposuction Of The Thighs
- Lymph Node Transfer
- Male Breast Reduction
- Mammoplasty
- Mastopexy
- Mastoplasty
- Micro Neurovascular Free Muscle Transplant
- Microsurgery
- Microvascular Surgery
- Mini Abdominoplasty
- Mohs Defect Repair
- Muscle Sparing Tram
- Muscle Transplant
- Neck Lift
- Nerve Transfer
- Nipple Repair
- Nipple Sparing Mastectomy
- Oncologic Reconstruction
- Oncoplastic Breast Surgery
- Panniculectomy
- Pedicle Tram
- Pelvic Reconstruction
- Percutaneous Pinning
- Post Child Birth Body Reshaping
- Post Pregnancy Body Restoration
- Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction
- Profunda Artery Perforator Flap
- Radial Forearm Flap
- Reconstructive Microsurgery
- Reconstructive Plastic Surgery
- Release Scar Contracture
- Scalp Reconstruction
- Scar Revision
- Scrotoplasty
- Skin Cancer Reconstruction
- Skin Cancer Surgery
- Skin Graft
- Skin Resurfacing And Rejuvenation
- Skin Sparing Mastectomy
- Skin Tag Removal
- Sternal Wound Flap
- Superior Gluteal Artery Perforator Flap
- Surgery For Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Thigh Lift Surgery
- Thoracodorsal Artery Perforator Flap
- Tissue Expansion Surgery
- Top Surgery
- Total Contact Casting
- Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous Flap
- Transverse Upper Gracilis Flap
- Tug Flap
- Turbinate Surgery
- Upper Extremity Reconstruction
- Vacuum Assisted Closure Therapy
- Vacuum Assisted Wound Closure
- Vaginal Rejuvenation
- Vascularized Bone Graft
- Vertical Rectus Abdominis Muscle Flap
- Wound Care
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
106 Irving Street Northwest POB Ste 3400 North Tower Washington, DC, 20010
202-877-3300Fax 202-877-3303
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Innovation Health: Open POS II
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Innovation Health: POS
- Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
- Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
- Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna HMO
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Employee Health Plan (EHP)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
- United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Student Resources
- United Select Plus (POS)
- United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
- United Golden Rule
- United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
- D-SNP)
- I-SNP
- United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
- United Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Choice Plus
- United Choice
- United Mamsi Life & Health
- United Core Essential (HMO)
- United Navigate
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
- United MD IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Signature
- Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Select-Added Choice
- Kaiser Select
- Kaiser Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Flexible Choice
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna POS/Network POS
- Cigna Indemnity
- Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
- Cigna Network Open Access
- Cigna HMO Open Access
- Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
- Cigna EPO
- Cigna Choice Fund PPO
- Beech Street PPO
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- WellPoint Maryland
- Virginia Premier
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Optimum Choice
- United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
- United AARP Medicare Complete
- Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
- Medicaid - Virginia
- Medicaid - Maryland
- Medicaid - District of Columbia
- Tricare for Life East
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Tricare East Select
- Tricare East Prime
- Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
- Carefirst EPO
- Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- First Health PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgery
Fellowship: Hospital De Sant Pau (2018)
Residency: University of Washington School of Medicine (2017)
Medical School: Yale University School of Medicine (2011)