Extensive face transplant tops week's aesthetics reads

The successful completion of the most extensive face transplant to date was the most-read article of the past week on Healio.com/Aesthetics.

Other widely read articles included study results finding that there was a significantly increased risk for major infection for FlexHD acellular dermal matrix in implant-based breast reconstruction when compared with AlloDerm:

NYU Langone Medical Center announces successful total face, scalp transplant

NYU Langone Medical Center held a press conference to announce the successful completion of the most extensive face transplant to date, which took 26 hours and involved more than 100 staff members.

Eduardo Rodriguez

Firefighter Patrick Hardison’s surgery “sets new standards in facial transplantation and will serve as an amazing learning tool,” Eduardo Rodriguez, MD, DDS, said in an accompanying press release. “I am particularly encouraged with the success we have achieved in transplanting [the donor’s] eyelids and blink mechanisms to Patrick.” Read more

FlexHD poses greater infection risk than AlloDerm in implant-based breast reconstruction

Patients who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction after mastectomy using FlexHD acellular dermal matrix had a significantly increased risk for major infection compared with AlloDerm, according to study results.

Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System and University of Michigan Medical School compared postoperative complication rates between the two acellular dermal matrix products, AlloDerm (LifeCell) and FlexHD (Ethicon and Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation) in a retrospective cohort study. Read more

Place implants prepectoral with vertical incision in immediate breast reconstruction

For patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction, researchers propose placing implants prepectoral with a vertical mastectomy incision, dermal flap and a saline implant with mesh/acellular dermal matrix fixation.

This is an alternative to submuscular placement of prosthetic devices, which is the most common method and associated with postoperative complications. Read more

Novel microneedle technique effective at treating spider veins in most women

A novel insulated microneedle device utilizing a low voltage current effectively treated most women with spider veins and produced a low level of complications, according to recently published study results.

“This is a simple, effective and inexpensive model to obliterate spider veins without scarring,” researcher Kenna S. Given, MD, FACS, told Healio.com. “This method has a definitive end point, which can be visualized at the time of treatment.” Read more

Liposuction significantly increases quality of life in lipedema patients

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — After treatment with liposuction, patients with lipedema showed a significant reduction of subcutaneous fatty tissue, which improved body proportions and overall shape, according to a study presented at the 23rd Annual World Congress of Dermatology.

A total of 164 patients who underwent conservative lipedema therapy over several years were treated with liposuction in tumescent local anesthesia with vibrating microcannulas. Read more