Cosmeticsurgeon.co.uk - UK Cosmetic Surgeons

Fat grafting is a way to enlarge breasts by up to one cup size without introducing an artificial substance into the body. Fat is removed from fat deposits in the body such as the hips, abdomen, and thighs and placed someplace else in order to plump that area up. Traditionally this procedure has been used to smooth wrinkles and to plump the lips and cheeks. Recently, however, cosmetic surgeons have begun to use this procedure in breast augmentations. This is a new procedure and there are not a lot of safety statistics that have been done. Physicians are still conducting research on the fat grafting procedure.

A newer technique, fat grafting with stem cells, allows for the fat taken from other parts of the body to be enriched with stem cells before it is used to augment the breasts. The added stem cells allow for the fat to be retained by the body, therefore, increasing the breast size.

Recent studies show that the risks for this procedure are generally very low. Reported side effects include infection, bleeding, and volume loss. Cases of extreme complications causing death are extremely rare.

There are many different advantages to choosing this procedure for breast augmentation. Many doctors believe that this procedure provides longer lasting results than traditional breast implants. Also, since the breast is being augmented with fat from the patient’s own body, there is a lower chance for the body rejecting it like with traditional silicone transplants.

While many medical professionals consider this procedure to have a lot of potential, but there are still some limitations. The first is that it only allows for an augmentation of up to one cup size unlike current synthetic implants. Synthetic implants are also very predictable in how much they will increase the breast size, whereas fat grafting is still relatively unpredictable in what the final outcome will be. Some medical professionals only believe that fat grafting should be used for breast reconstruction only. Others professionals are concerned that the fat grafted into the breast could calcify and obscure breast cancer detection. Each calcified area would have to be individually checked to rule out the possibility of breast cancer. There are even more concerns that women at risk for breast cancer may have the increased possibility of breast cancer if they use the stem cell method. Many doctors agree that fat grafting for breast augmentation is not right for everyone.

Researchers in Australia are pioneering a new technique to stimulate the body to naturally re-grow breast tissue lost to surgical procedures.

In a recent plastic surgery conference in Sydney, doctors presented experiment results that showed the possibilities of breast reconstruction using he body’s own fat cells as tissue rather than silicone. The procedure has been tested positively on pigs and human trials will proceed in the near future.

How it works is that an empty chamber, or “scaffold,” is implanted and filled with a gel made of the individual patient’s fat cells which will then induce the body to create permanent breast tissue within the confines of the implanted chamber. This use of a biomaterial cage is a revolutionary idea to trap the cells and direct their growth. Future plans for the cage include making it biodegradable to alleviate the necessity for another surgery to have it removed. Professor Anthony Hollander from the University of Bristol in the UK applauded the approach for its simplicity and the fact that the tissue growth occurred inside the body.

Though the potential benefits for cancer patients are huge, experts caution that the technique is far from perfected. Trials are underway to ensure that the procedure will be able to guarantee that all cancer cells have been removed from the area and the tissue gel used in the chamber. Dr. Lesley Walker, the director of Cancer Research UK said the procedure was, “at such an early stage, it is not clear whether it will work in people. Even if this surgery proves to be effective, it will be a number of years before it can be used in the clinic.” Even though use of the procedure is still in the future, the excitement of finding a way to prevent women from going through the trauma of mastectomy surgeries is well worth the wait.

Reconstruction is an option for women following a Masectomy

Research from the University of Michigan Medical Centre shows that only a small percentage of American women choose reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy. It suggests that not enough women are being educated on the options surrounding the breast removal procedure which can be carried out on women with breast cancer.

In this country, patients can learn about the health benefits and problems that could be a consequence. Charities such as the Macmillan Cancer Support offer patients advice in the area.
In the modern day surgical techniques have improved a lot over the years and as a result, surgeons at the University of Michigan have found the results of the study surprising.

Speaking on an online form hosted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Anne Alderman said that women are not being educated about these options.

In the UK, women can consult their surgeon before a masectomy concerning reconstructive surgery, which involves a number of different forms. Firstly implants used in breast enlargement surgeries. Secondly ‘tissue flap construction’ in which skin and fat from the lower abdomen is grafted onto the breast area via a tunnel through the body to the chest, and thirdly free flap reconstruction involving the same thing but by separating the original tissue through microsurgery. The use of these three techniques depend on various factors.

Breast related surgeries are actually on the increase in the United Kingdom with Breast enlargements rising to nearly 6,500 in the last year. In the US, breast lifts and breast lift/enlargement combination surgeries also rose.

If true, the findings that women might not be getting reconstructive surgeries could be due to a number of factors. The study did not show how medical considerations affected the results, as some women might not have been correct candidates for the operation.

The options will depend on the amount of the breast removed in a masectomy, the healthiness of the tissue involved and whether radiotherapy has been used in the treatment. Of course the choice of the women could also be playing a role.

Whatever the case, surgeons urge patients in the UK to consult doctors or surgeons before making decisions in this area.

Sources: USA Today and News Leader Missouri