Lipofilling Safe for Mastectomy Patients
September 8th, 2011
Women who have fat graft injections or lipofilling after mastectomies face no greater risk of disease recurrence than those who do not undergo lipofilling, according to a recent study by European plastic surgeons.
Following surgery, many cancer patients are left with severely damaged skin and tissue. Lipofilling is a specialized fat grafting surgical procedure in which aspirated (liposuction) fat tissue is first taken from a donor site. Typical donor sites are the abdomen or flanks. Then it is centrifuged, treated and injected into the breast. The fat grafts naturally contain a population of adipose cells and the regenerative properties of the cells are particularly beneficial in healing tissue damaged by radiation.
Fat grafting is a less invasive technique to fill the void of tissue loss in reconstruction of the breasts. Liopfilling offers women another choice and it is a technique that does not require immediate action following a mastectomy.
Reader Question: Fat Injections for Breasts
July 6th, 2011
Kelly writes:
So, what is the difference between the procedure of the ’80s and the procedure now? What would be the cost difference between this procedure and “traditional†breast implants? Is it dependent upon the amount of lipo done? Would it sort of be a “2 for 1″ deal?
Liposuction fat is now harvested with better survivability after placement, compared to the earlier technique. It is also injected as thin threads throughout the breast instead of a large volume in one spot. There are promising studies that indicate possible stem cell rejuvenation with fat transfer.
Positive improvements in technology include developments such as, fat graft injections interfere less than implants, increased mammogram and radiological expertise. Once the procedure is completed there are no further maintenance costs, as may often be the case with implants.
There are additional benefits of losing inches from liposuction of the hips, thighs, and/or abdomen prior to the fat transfer. The cost is not a “two-fer,†it is more like a one-and-a-half-er! Prices will vary according to the location of metropolitan area. Liposuction recovery may take up to 6 weeks depending on volume removed, whereas complete healing for the breast fat grafting is upwards from about 9 months to a year. The results are permanent. The procedure is sometimes referred to as a natural breast enhancement.
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