RxPG News : Plastic Surgery

Adult fat cell-derived stem cells useful in tissue reconstruction

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 08:53:39 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Adipose-derived stem cells maintain their "stemness" and could be useful for cell-based therapies. A team of researchers from several institutions in Italy isolated and characterized adult fat cell-derived stem cells from patients undergoing lipoaspiration (surgical removal of fat deposits) in order to investigate the ability of the fat cells to maintain their stem cell characteristics in in vitro cultures to the point where once transplanted they could aid in tissue regeneration.

According to the study's corresponding authors Dr. Stefami Bucher of the San Gallicano Institute (Rome) and Dr. Rita Falcioni of the Regina Elena Cancer Institute (Rome), adipose tissues share several biological properties with bone marrow, they can be found in abundance, they can be obtained from patients undergoing noninvasive lipoaspirate procedures, and they have the potential to be useful in a range of therapeutic applications.

"The use of lipoaspirate as filling material is a powerful technique for tissue repair in plastic surgery," said Dr. Falcioni. "Increasingly, it is used in oncology to repair tissue damaged by surgical treatments, such as mastectomy. The use of purified adipose-derived stem cells might improve this surgical procedure by shortening the time to achieve esthetic results and thereby improving patient quality of life."

The researchers described adipose tissues as "highly specialized connective tissues" that help provide the body with an energy source, yet little research has investigated the transplant potential of adipose-derived stem cells.

"We strongly suggest that the adipose-derived stem cells we purified in our study could be applied in the near future for cell therapy using the cell-assisted lipotransfer technique."

Beware of malnutrition, if you are going in for body contouring surgery

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:38:03 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Washington, Nov 13 - Beware of malnutrition if you are going in for a body contouring procedure following weight loss surgery.

Proper nutrition cuts down surgical complications, accelerates wound healing, improves scar quality and boosts your energy levels,

'Body contouring procedures - are major operations with large incisions in many areas that demand a lot of the body during the healing process,' said Dennis Hurwitz of American Society of Plastic Surgeons -, co-author of a new study on the subject.

'By carefully monitoring nutritional deficiencies pre-operatively and supplementing the patient with the necessary nutrients, minerals and vitamins, I have seen a significant decrease in complications and improved postoperative healing.'

The study was performed in two parts; First, medical literature regarding nutrition's effect on healing from the 1940s to the present was reviewed.

The authors then compared healing and wound problems in 75 of their body contouring patients from 2001 to 2005 who did not receive supplementation, with 37 patients from 2006 to present, who participated in a nutritional supplement programme prior to surgery.

The study found that complications and wound problems occurred in 66 percent of the 75 patients who did not receive supplementation before 2006.

In the 37 patients on the nutritional supplement regimen after 2006, major complication rates were reduced to 19 percent, according to an ASPS release.

The study found specifically that improving nutritional deficiencies in massive weight loss patients improved the healing process, wound tension and scar quality, in addition to increasing patients' energy levels.

Because of reduced calorie intake for massive weight loss patients, they are highly susceptible to malnutrition, the study observed.

Nearly 67,000 body contouring procedures after massive weight loss were performed in 2007, said ASPS.

These findings are scheduled for publication in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

226.3% increase in male sclerotherapy since 2002

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 04:01:29 PST

( from http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) is pleased to announce the results of its 2007 Procedural Data. This information is collected by polling the Academy’s U.S.-based members.

Findings conclude that sclerotherapy, the standard treatment for spider and varicose veins, is now the number two most performed cosmetic surgical procedure, due in large part to men. Sclerotherapy has seen a 226.3% increase in males over the past five years. A drastic comparison to the 3.5% increase in females since 2002.

On the opposite end, males have strayed away from hair transplants. Cost is likely to be a cause of this decline. Over five years, the price of hair transplants increased by $1,296, while sclerotherapy decreased by $103.

“Cosmetic surgeons have experienced a boost of males wishing to receive sclerotherapy,” says Dr. Steven Hopping, MD, President of the AACS. “Now, there are notably fewer stigmas associated with men receiving this procedure.”

The top three most performed cosmetic surgical procedures in 2007 include: liposuction, sclerotherapy and blepharoplasty; while the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures were Botox® injections, microdermabrasion and chemical peels.

The 2007 Procedural Data is based on a survey of U.S.-based AACS members completed in December 2007. The entire report, conducted by RH Research, is available by contacting the Academy.