Cheng-Hung Chiu M.D.
Genesis Clinic
1 May 2011
Genesis Clinic
1 May 2011
The number of cases of complications after autologous fat grafting for breast augmentation surgery is around 4 to 8%. One of the complications is the infection of the surgery parts but the most troubling one will be fat necrosis and the formation of cyst or lumps.
When the grafted fat cannot develop into normal tissues, for small volume, it might be absorbed by the body but if the volume is big, it will liquefy. When the liquefied fat cannot be absorbed, there is a gradual percentage that it will flow out from the opened pores during the surgery.
Upon this situation, the only way is to extract the fat from the pored and after the fat is removed completely, sterile saline solution will be needed to clean the inner space about 3 times to settle it.
Some fats will not liquefy and they will form lumps. Slowly, the lumps will undergo fibrosis that the patients can feel the hardened tissue in the breasts. Some brings pain while some don’t.
There was a case whereby a patient who had the post-operation lumps went to consult specialists or maternity doctors and she was told the lumps can only be removed through operation. The truth is it doesn’t. The means of operation is a display of traditional and conservative thinking while the latest foreign medical journal has issued the new way of tending to the lumps.
The post-breast reconstruction operation fat necrosis does not happen for autologous fat grafting for breast augmentation. The transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap (TRAM) that specialized in repairing breasts’ defects also bring fat necrosis as a common complication and in fact the percentage is higher than that of autologous fat grafting for breast augmentation.
According to a report, the percentage of fat necrosis after the TRAM or DIEP repair of breasts is 14% and the percentage of the appearance of shadows of lumps on ultrasound is as high as 35%.
If the lumps are removed via operation, scars will form on the breasts and at the same time, some normal breast tissues will be removed too which makes the breasts slightly smaller and affects the appearance if the breasts. This clearly shows that surgery is not a good way in handling lumps. From the compilations of medical journals, Dr. Chiu had found two ways to resolve this problem. Today, we will be sharing the first method.
Upon this situation, the only way is to extract the fat from the pored and after the fat is removed completely, sterile saline solution will be needed to clean the inner space about 3 times to settle it.
Some fats will not liquefy and they will form lumps. Slowly, the lumps will undergo fibrosis that the patients can feel the hardened tissue in the breasts. Some brings pain while some don’t.
There was a case whereby a patient who had the post-operation lumps went to consult specialists or maternity doctors and she was told the lumps can only be removed through operation. The truth is it doesn’t. The means of operation is a display of traditional and conservative thinking while the latest foreign medical journal has issued the new way of tending to the lumps.
The post-breast reconstruction operation fat necrosis does not happen for autologous fat grafting for breast augmentation. The transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap (TRAM) that specialized in repairing breasts’ defects also bring fat necrosis as a common complication and in fact the percentage is higher than that of autologous fat grafting for breast augmentation.
According to a report, the percentage of fat necrosis after the TRAM or DIEP repair of breasts is 14% and the percentage of the appearance of shadows of lumps on ultrasound is as high as 35%.
If the lumps are removed via operation, scars will form on the breasts and at the same time, some normal breast tissues will be removed too which makes the breasts slightly smaller and affects the appearance if the breasts. This clearly shows that surgery is not a good way in handling lumps. From the compilations of medical journals, Dr. Chiu had found two ways to resolve this problem. Today, we will be sharing the first method.
A simplified technique for the management of fat necrosis in autologous breast reconstruction.
This is an article written by an America physician, S.Jandali in Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery in 2010. The main points are as below:
- The average time interval between after the surgery and aeration is 13.5 months.
- Aeration is suitable for breast lumps that are 4cm and below in diameters.
- During aeration, the part where the needle is inserted needs to be anesthetized. Then, a syringe with a 18G needle is penetrated through the skin and the syringe is pulled to extract the liquefies fat followed by the regular penetrations of the needle on the lump 30 to 100 times. With the needle, penetrate the lump uniformly from different directions. The number of penetrations depends on the size of the lump.
- A month after the penetration of needle, the lump will become softer. Only a few patients will need to carry out a second time of aeration.
- Through this method, the lump maintains its softness even after 6 months to 6 years.
- The presumed theory of why this method works is, through the pores that were formed after penetration, the fats, stem cells and inflammatory tissues can flow into the lump, which alleviates the condition of the lump.
To all internet users: Due to the amount of appointments and treatments Genesis Clinic Aesthetic Department has been receiving recently, we are sorry to announce that for the time being we are providing the treatments for lumps after the autologous fat grafting surgery. If your autologous fat grafting for breast augmentation surgery was done at other hospital and lumps were formed after the operation, we suggest that you download the thesis and contents below and discuss it with your doctor. We hope that you can find the best solution to your problem.
- Way 1 to take care of the lumps after autologous fat grafting operation.
- Way 2 to take care of the lumps after autologous fat grafting operation.