Ultrasonic liposuction in the treatment of gynecomastia.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-assisted liposuction is a technique that is widely used all over the body for minimal access lipectomy. Recently, it has been reported to be especially suitable for the treatment of gynecomastia. To date, however, there is only one published study that specifically addresses ultrasound-assisted liposuction as a treatment modality for gynecomastia. METHODS: A review was undertaken of all the gynecomastia patients treated with ultrasound-assisted liposuction by a single surgeon over a 3-year period. Thirteen consecutive patients (aged 16 to 57 years) with bilateral, diffuse, soft to moderately firm gynecomastia were studied. RESULTS: There were no early postoperative complications of hematoma, seroma, infection, or thermal injury. Similarly, there were no treatment-induced asymmetries, contour deformities, or irregularities. One patient requested "touch-up" ultrasound-assisted liposuction for "residual" breast tissue several months after an initial satisfactory correction of chest contour. None of the patients required initial open-excision or skin-reduction procedures. Patients were asked to rate their cosmetic results in four categories on linear analogue scales with a maximal score of 10. The average scores were 9.1 for overall satisfaction, 9.2 for scars, 9.2 for shape, and 8.9 for improved self confidence. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-assisted liposuction is an effective treatment modality in patients with homogenous soft to moderately firm gynecomastia, giving good cosmetic results and a high level of patient satisfaction.

Early experience with an anatomical soft cohesive silicone gel prosthesis in cosmetic and reconstructive breast implant surgery.

Recently, an anatomic breast implant filled with soft cohesive silicone gel was introduced by Mentor Medical Systems onto the European market. This study reports the early experience of a single surgeon with this implant. All patients who received a Contour Profile Gel (CPG) implant from March 2001 to October 2002 were studied. Patient satisfaction with breast shape and consistency was assessed using linear analogue scales with a maximum score of 10. Thirty-five patients received CPG implants for cosmetic (10 patients, 20 breasts) and reconstructive (25 patients, 31 breasts) surgery purposes. Patients were satisfied with their breast shape (mean score: 8.3). Eighty-five percent of the breasts were rated as soft (score >/=6). No serious esthetic complications such as implant malposition or significant capsular contracture were observed. Anatomic soft cohesive gel implants provide excellent results in selected cases. They are well accepted by patients and not associated with an increased rate of complications.

An application of the LeJour vertical mammaplasty pattern for skin-sparing mastectomy: a preliminary report.

An application of the LeJour vertical mammaplasty skin pattern for skin-sparing mastectomy is presented. The approach provides adequate access for the mastectomy, axillary dissection, and immediate breast reconstruction. The technique is ideal for patients with large or ptotic breasts undergoing a simultaneous contralateral breast reduction or mastopexy. It is particularly suitable for autogenous tissue reconstruction. Its use in mastectomies for cancer and prophylactic subcutaneous mastectomies is described.

Implant-based breast reconstruction following mastectomy.

Post-mastectomy breast reconstruction with prostheses can be performed immediately at the time of mastectomy or delayed for several months or years. It falls into three main categories namely implant-only, expander-implant and expandable implant reconstruction. Sometimes it is combined with the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. Logistically prosthetic reconstruction can be single-stage (with implant-only or expandable implants) or two-stage (traditional expander-implant technique). Over the last decade a wide variety of prostheses has become available which materially vary in shape, surface and consistency. Prosthetic breast reconstruction provides satisfactory results in properly selected patients and has the advantages of simplicity, shorter operating time, hospital stay and recuperation. Additionally there are no extra scars or distant donor site morbidity. It is, however, more prone to additional unplanned revisional surgical procedures than autogenous tissue reconstruction. In general two-stage reconstruction gives more predictable results as it gives the surgeon the opportunity to adjust the reconstruction at the planned 2nd stage, while in practice, single stage reconstruction may be more prone to unplanned revisional surgery. The best results are obtained in patients with small minimally ptotic breasts while those with larger and/or more ptotic breasts often require a contralateral balancing procedure to achieve symmetry. This paper outlines the surgical options and the prosthetic range available at present.

Perforator flap breast reconstruction.

A perforator flap consists of skin and fat harvested from a donor site nourished by myocutaneous perforators while sparing the donor muscle for function and strength. This flap type has revolutionized microvascular free tissue transfer and the technique has been successfully applied to well-established donor sites for autologous breast reconstruction namely the lower abdomen, upper and lower buttock, the upper back, and the lateral thigh. Although these flaps are technically more demanding than conventional myocutaneous free flaps, their minimal impact on the donor site muscle function significantly reduces local morbidity, postoperative pain and hospital stay. Perforator flap breast reconstruction has an increased operating time because of the meticulous dissection of the perforators, the possible anatomical variation in their location and, once these are located, the difficulty in selecting suitable perforator(s) to base the flap on. Although it has been suggested that perforator flaps may have a higher incidence of fat necrosis and partial flap loss than conventional free myocutaneous flaps, this has not been borne out by clinical results. There is, however, a learning curve and careful patient selection is important. The role of perforator flap technique in breast reconstruction is evolving. While its indications are similar to those of free TRAM and gluteal flaps, it is clearly a better alternative to these. The choice of perforator flap depends on where the patient has the most abundant donor tissue and the surgeon's experience. These flaps may in the future become the standard of care in free flap breast reconstruction.