Archive for the ‘Reconstructive Surgery’ Category

Breast Cancer Survivor Finds Help in Fat Grafting

Monday, May 16th, 2011 by Staff Writer

Fat grafting is often recognized as a means to correct more superficial issues like wrinkles, but can be used successfully in reconstructive surgery, as well, according to WWLTV in New Orleans.

Two months after she underwent a type of mommy makeover, which included breast augmentation and a tummy tuck, Tina, a 46-year-old mother of three learned she had breast cancer, unrelated to the surgeries.

After chemotherapy and radiation, part of her breast tissue was removed. In its place, a tissue expander was placed to keep the shape of the breast. As tissue expansion is only a step along the way to reconstructive procedures, it soon had to be replaced.

Tina’s plastic surgeon elected to use Tina’s own fat, which was removed from her lower body through liposuction to support the breast. In this process, the fat that was liposuctioned from Tina’s lower body was placed around the breast implant to cushion it and provide a natural appearance.

As she recovers and sees the benefits of her surgery, Tina says she now looks forward to an anniversary trip with her husband. They plan to renew their wedding vows in Hawaii.

In addition to this sort of life-altering use, the cosmetic applications of fat grafting are many. Most commonly, fat grafting is used on the face. Placement of this fat may fill depressions in the face like deep lines and wrinkles or scars and may be used to augment lips. It may also be used for some body procedures, like a buttocks lift.

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Mammograms Reliable for Breast Lipomodeling Patients

Monday, April 18th, 2011 by Staff Writer

edina minneapolis breast augmentation breast implantsUsing a patient’s own fat stores for breast lipomodeling will not result in issues when later undergoing a mammogram, a study by the ASPS found.

The study, which was published in March, examined women who had undergone breast lipomodeling as an alternative to more traditional implant-based breast augmentation. It found that 16 months after the procedure, more than half of the women displayed no abnormalities that would cause an issue on a mammogram. Of the women who did show any abnormalities, they were minor issues like scarring or small calcifications.

The study also compared mammograms for women both before and after breast lipomodeling and found no significant differences in the mammogram results.

Breast lipomodeling was originally introduced as a means for breast reconstruction following a mastectomy. In the cosmetic procedure, your plastic surgeon would use liposuction to remove excess fatty deposits from a donor site on your body, like the hips or thighs. After it has been purified, your plastic surgeon then uses lipomodeling techniques to inject the fat into your breasts, giving them volume and improving the shape.

While the results of the ASPS study are only preliminary, they bode well for the continued adoption of breast lipomodeling in the plastic surgery breast augmentation canon.

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Film Critic Ebert Gets Prosthetic Jaw Following Cancer

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 by Staff Writer

facial implantAfter battling thyroid cancer, film critic Roger Ebert had cancerous cells removed and the cancer finally necessitated the removal of his right jaw and Ebert lost his ability to speak. However, with the use of a prosthetic, which he wrote about for the Chicago Sun-Times, Ebert has been able to recreate the lower part of his face and uses the prosthetic for some shots of his new television show.

The silicone prosthetic, which was created specifically for Ebert by a team of doctors from the Milwaukee area is composed of silicone and is similar to prosthetics used to recreate limbs for children.

Ebert acknowledges that many know his condition and that the prosthetic won’t fool too many people, but says, “Symbolically, it’s as if my illness never happened and, hey, here I still am, on the show with these new kids.”

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Plastic Surgeon Speaks About Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010 by copywriter

After the devastating Haiti earthquake in January 2010, the country received medical aid from doctors all over the world, including plastic and reconstructive surgeons.

One plastic surgeon and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Paul Rottler of St. Louis, had been involved in Haiti medical mission trips for 6 years before the earthquake occurred. When it struck, he was fit to lead a team of physicians in relief efforts. In this video he discusses his role as a plastic surgeon treating victims of the earthquake.

Along with an OB/GYN and general surgeon, Dr. Rottler visited the central plateau area of Haiti to perform medical procedures such as burn reconstruction, cleft lip/palate repair, delivering babies, and hysterectomy. You can read more about Dr. Rottler and his team’s medical mission efforts on his website.

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