Hot topics in facial augmentation, breast reconstruction harvest this week

Alloplastic facial augmentation in Asian-American patients had safe results and high satisfaction rates, as reported on Healio.com/Aesthetics.

Additional news includes recently published data a new FACE-Q scale, long-pulsed Nd:YAG lasers, and alternative options for successful breast reconstruction:

Alloplastic augmentation provides safe alternative in facial augmentation of Asian-Americans

Alloplastic facial augmentation in Asian-American patients had low rates of postoperative complications and patients reported high levels of satisfaction, according to study results published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal.

The researchers retrospectively reviewed all patients of Asian ethnicity who underwent alloplastic facial augmentations by the senior author, Edmund Kwan, MD, between January 2009 and December 2013. Read more

New FACE-Q scales address patient expectations, psychosocial distress

Two new scales developed as part of the FACE-Q patient-reported outcome instrument address patient expectations and psychosocial distress related to cosmetic decision making, according to study results published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal.

The Expectations scale was designed with statements that patients could use to describe how they expect their appearance and quality of life to change after a cosmetic procedure. The Psychosocial Distress scale was designed with statements to measure appearance-related concerns. Read more

Long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser effective in treating facial plane warts

Patients with facial plane warts were treated effectively with one session of long-pulsed 532-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser, with minimal adverse events, according to recently published study results.

Researchers studied 160 Yemeni patients (98 males; age range, 5-55 years) who presented with one to more than 20 facial plane warts between 2012 and 2014 at the dermatology department of the Sana’a University Hospital in Sana’a, Yemen. There were 1,668 lesions present between 1 to more than 24 months, with 61.6% among male patients. Read more

AlloDerm, FlexHD have significantly comparable outcomes in matrix-based breast reconstruction

AlloDerm and FlexHD acellular dermal matrix products had similar complication outcomes when compared in immediate breast reconstruction following mastectomy, according to study results published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

The researchers analyzed charts of patients who underwent matrix-based breast reconstruction under a single surgeon using either AlloDerm (LifeCell Corp, Branchburg, N.J.) or FlexHD (Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, Edison, N.J.) products between September 2009 and October 2015. Read more

Free tissue transfer from upper gracilis of medial, posterior thigh safe for breast reconstruction

Free tissue transfer using upper gracilis or profundal artery perforator flaps harvested from the medial or posterior thigh is a safe and reliable option for unilateral autologous breast reconstruction, according to study results published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

The researchers conducted a retrospective review of patients undergoing double free flap reconstruction for unilateral breast reconstruction using transverse upper gracilis flaps and profundal artery perforator flaps between Sept. 1, 2009, and Jan. 31, 2015. Read more