• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dr. Brian J. Kobienia

Minneapolis, MN Plastic Surgeon

  • About Us
    • Meet Dr. Kobienia
    • Videos
    • Blog
  • Services
    • Facial Procedures
      • Facelift
      • Eyelid Surgery
      • Rhinoplasty
      • BOTOX® & Dysport®
      • Dermal Fillers
    • Breast Enhancement
      • Breast Augmentation
      • Breast Lift
      • Breast Reduction
      • Breast Implant Revision
      • Breast Reconstruction
    • Body Contouring
      • Tummy Tuck
      • Liposuction
      • Mommy Makeover
  • Photo Gallery
    • Breast
      • Breast Asymmetry
      • Breast Augmentation
      • Breast Lift
      • Breast Reconstruction
      • Breast Reduction
    • Body
      • Abdominoplasty
      • Liposuction
    • Face
      • Direct Excision Neck Skin
      • Eyelid Surgery
      • Facelift
      • Otoplasty
      • Rhinoplasty
  • Reviews
  • Contact Us

612-930-1111

Fat Grafting · February 18, 2013

Fat Grafting Counteracts Radiation Effects

Fat grafting may be another tool to be used to counteract the affects of radiation therapy used for treatment to prevent breast cancer recurrence after mastectomy and lumpectomy.

Traditionally, if a woman has had to undergo radiation therapy after a lumpectomy and then had the need to undergo a mastectomy due to a new cancer or some complication of scarring in the remaining breast her options were severely limited for breast reconstruction.  The technique of expanding the muscle and skin of the breast in preparation for a final soft implant relies on the characteristics of normal skin that allow stretch and relaxation.  It is these principles that allow a woman to carry a pregnancy to term.

Radiation therapy has an adverse affect on normal skin that increases fibrosis (scarring) and reduces the ability of the skin to stretch.  Is is because of this that traditionally we plastic surgeons don’t offer implant based reconstruction once radiation therapy has been given.  These women typically have to use a technique that involves using tissue from another part of the body such (flap), either abdominal (TRAM) or the back (latissimus dorsi).

A recent study of a small number of patients suggest that fat grafting the bed of the breast after mastectomy and radiation therapy seems to counteract the affects of radiation therapy and makes the skin “healthier”.   In this study, after several rounds of fat grafting – harvesting fat through liposuction of the abdomen or thighs these patients were able to then undergo implant based reconstruction without the traditional expected complications.

The implication here is that patients may not have to undergo much more invasive surgical procedures to reconstruct their breast.  Additionally, the results suggests that fat, or ‘stem cells’ in fat may have a beneficial effects that might be captured and used elsewhere such as after head and neck surgery and radiation or after radiation for other cancers such as prostate or other abdominal cancers.

I think we are only scratching the surface in learning about the potential of fat!

Related Posts

  • Facial Fat Grafting

    Enhance Your Appearance with Facial Fat Grafting

Filed Under: Fat Grafting

Previous Post: « Correcting Gynecomastia with Male Breast Reduction
Next Post: FDA Approves Highly Cohesive Silicone Gel Implants »

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Arm Lift
  • Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
  • Body Contouring
  • Body Image
  • Botox
  • Breast Augmentation
  • Breast Cancer
  • Breast Enhancement
  • Breast Implants
  • Breast Lift
  • Breast Reconstruction
  • Breast Reduction
  • Brow Lift
  • Cheek Augmentation
  • Chin Augmentation
  • Cosmetic Surgery
  • Dermal Fillers
  • Eyelid Surgery
  • Facelift
  • Facial Plastic Surgery
  • Facial Reconstruction
  • Fat Grafting
  • Gynecomastia
  • Juvederm
  • Lip Augmentation
  • Liposuction
  • Male Breast Reduction
  • Male Plastic Surgery
  • Melanoma
  • Migraine
  • Mohs Reconstruction
  • Mommy Makeover
  • Neck Lift
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Rhinoplasty
  • Scar Healing
  • Skin Cancer
  • Skin Tightening
  • Thigh Lift
  • Tummy Tuck
  • Vampire Lift
  • Volunteer Work
  • Weight Loss

Footer

Dr. Brian J. Kobienia

2805 Campus Drive
Suite 485
Minneapolis, MN 55441
612-930-1111

HOURS:
Monday-Thursday: 7:30AM-5PM
Friday: 7:30AM-Noon

Privacy Policy | Site Map | Accessibility

© 2022 Dr. Kobienia - Site Design & Medical Marketing by Sector45