Archive for the ‘Facial Rejuvenation’ Category

Breakthroughs in Stem Cell-Enriched Fat Grafting

Thursday, July 29th, 2010 by editor2

Medical device manufacturer Cytori Therapeutics recently received European approval (CE mark) of its Celution and PureGraft systems, two new breakthrough devices designed to increase the applications of autologous fat grafting using stem cell-enriched fat, as well as improve the efficiency of autologous fat graft preparation for standard fat injection procedures.

The Celution System

Cytori’s Celution System works by extracting and separating stem and regenerative cells from a patient’s own fat tissue, which has created new medical applications for autologous fat grafting, such as breast reconstruction and certain types of wound healing.

Of the first 30 patients who were involved in European trials for breast reconstruction via fat grafts prepared by the Celution System, 73 percent reported they were satisfied with their breast reconstruction results one year after the procedure was performed.  The physicians who evaluated these patients also reported an 80 percent satisfaction rate with breast reconstruction results after one year.

In addition to its application for fat graft preparation in wound healing and breast reconstruction, the Celution System is now approved for digestion of fat tissue to extract, wash and concentrate a patient’s stem cells and other associated cells for use in other autologous fat grafting procedures including:

  • Brazilian butt lift or buttocks augmentation
  • Fat injection for wrinkle treatment
  • Fat transfer to facial areas experiencing lipoatrophy or volume loss

The PureGraft System

The PureGraft System, which was FDA-approved for use in the U.S. in 2010, is a membrane-based tissue filtration device designed for use as a standalone graft preparation product, as well as a complement to the Celution System.

Used independently, PureGraft efficiently and reliably produces optimal graft tissue for use in autologous fat grafting procedures, while used in combination with the Celution system, the PureGraft system lowers tissue processing times and increases processing volumes.

The PureGraft System works faster than other fat graft preparation products, taking only 15 minutes to purify a fat graft ranging from 50 to 250 mL by removing excess and unwanted fluid, lipid, blood cells and debris in a controlled manner.  The consumable-based system is used within a sterile field and does not rely on centrifugation during the purification process as most other tissue filtration devices do.

The Celution and PureGraft systems are exciting innovations in reconstructive and plastic surgery because they promise to offer breast cancer patients the opportunity to have their breasts reconstructed using their own fat, as well as improve fat injection or fat transfer results for cosmetic surgery patients seeking fuller, more shapely buttocks and youthful facial volume.

Keep in mind that the success of fat grafting is greatly dependent on the skill of your surgeon, so you should seek a highly experienced Seattle plastic surgeon if you decide to pursue any fat transfer procedure.

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Posted in Facial Rejuvenation, In the Media, Reconstructive Surgery | 1 Comment »

Study Finds Most Patients Satisfied With Facelift Results

Thursday, July 8th, 2010 by editor2

A study published by the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found high satisfaction rates among facelift patients not only within the first year after facelift surgery, but also 10-15 years later.

According to the study authors Drs. Michael Fried, Richard Shaw, Matthew Trovato and John Owsley, nearly 98 percent of patients reported their face lift results as “very good or beyond expectations” in the one-year period following their face lift surgery. Nearly 13 years later, more than 68 percent of face lift patients said their results continued to be “very good or beyond expectations” and felt that they looked 10 years younger.

Only 31 percent of patients who participated in the study indicated that they were disappointed by some aspect of their long-term face lift outcome, which suggests a majority of facelift patients experience a high degree of satisfaction with facelift results in the long term.

The study is reportedly the first to measure long-term facelift patient satisfaction rates and included 89 participants. Each patient surveyed had a superficial musculoaponeurotic system–platysma facelift, or SMAS facelift, performed by study senior author Dr. John Owsley between January 1, 1994 and January 1, 1999.

Variations of the SMAS facelift technique exist, but all SMAS facelift techniques involve repositioning and tightening the SMAS, which is a sheet of muscle and connective tissue on the cheek that contributes to facial expression. The results of a SMAS facelift are typically longer lasting than those of a subcutaneous, or skin-only, facelift, and improvement of sagging skin and jowls is an expected outcome.  An extended SMAS facelift offers the same benefits as a SMAS facelift, plus correction of nasolabial folds.

When considering face lift surgery, it’s important not to get caught up in the brand names, marketing terminology and surgical techniques. For best results, it is essential to seek a highly experienced Seattle face lift surgeon who can customize your face lift procedure to meet your unique goals.

Posted in Facial Rejuvenation | 1 Comment »

How Rhinoplasty Surgeons Are Preserving Ethnic Traits

Monday, June 7th, 2010 by copywriter

Cosmetic Surgery Times recently published an article about rhinoplasty and how surgeons meet the needs of a patient who wants to maintain his or her ethnic appearance.

“There are subtle things that we can do to make a change in the profile, in the definition of the nose, without changing their ethnicity, without intrinsically changing their appearance,” said Charles M. Boyd M.D.

For the patient, communicating desires and aesthetic goals for rhinoplasty is critical, while surgeons work to manage the patient’s expectations.  Each doctor-patient relationship will go through this process in a different way.  One emerging trend facilitating this communication process is the use of 3-dimensional imaging to visually approximate the results that can be achieved.

“I use computer imaging and this is very helpful in pinpointing what patients are trying to achieve, and it enables them to see what’s in my mind as well,” said Steven B. Hopping M.D.

When it comes down to operating, there are of course, anatomical considerations for the ethnic patient.  To learn more about how these surgeons approach rhinoplasty in patients of Asian, African American, and Middle Eastern descent view the article.

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Posted in Facial Rejuvenation | No Comments »

Depressed Cosmetic Surgery Patients Show Positive Outcomes

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 by copywriter

The medical journal Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery just published a study showing some unexpected findings:  patients in a study being treated for depression were more satisfied with their surgical outcome than those who were not.

During consultations, surgeons routinely evaluate patients to determine their emotional stability and readiness to undergo a procedure. Many physicians assume that optimistic patients will feel more satisfied with their surgical outcome.  Surprisingly, these assumptions were not borne out in the study’s results.

Jill Hessler, M.D. and her team of researchers at the University of Michigan studied 51 cosmetic surgery patients who underwent facial plastic procedures between January 1, 2007 and January 1, 2008.  Before surgery and 4-6 months after surgery, each of them voluntarily responded to a survey that assessed their attitude regarding the procedure(s).

Results of the study revealed that patients being treated for depression before undergoing surgery expressed higher levels of satisfaction with their outcomes than those not being treated for depression.  Furthermore, those who expressed more optimism before undergoing their procedures did not feel their results were better than their more pessimistic peers.  It is hoped that future research will tell us why.

Read more about this study online in Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery

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Posted in Facial Rejuvenation | 1 Comment »

New Restylane Formula Includes Anesthetic

Friday, May 7th, 2010 by copywriter

More and more dermal fillers are entering the market with lidocaine. Fillers like Restylane-L, Perlane-L and Juvederm Ultra XC are now prepared with anesthetic to improve patient comfort as much as possible.

The addition of 0.3 percent lidocaine in Restylane-L means that wrinkle correction is just as effective, but treatment is more tolerable.  The traditional pain management techniques utilized by your surgeon are still in practice, but it doesn’t hurt (no pun intended) to have some extra help. In clinical studies of Restylane-L, 71 percent of the 60 participants reported less pain after injection into the nasolabial fold than with Restylane alone.

The new Restylane-L contains the same patented, stabilized hyaluronic acid gel that has been used in regular Restylane for years.  As you may know, HA is a natural component of the tissue, serving as a skin hydrator, cell protector and volumizer.

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Posted in Facial Rejuvenation, Injectable Products | No Comments »