VASER Liposuction in The Woodlands | Houston

What is VASER Liposuction?

Ultrasonic liposuction for body contouring began in the late 1980's and early 1990s.  The VASER system was developed in the late 1990s to reduce complications, reduce physician fatigue, and allow for faster patient recovery.

So What is the VASER?

• VASER stands for Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy
  at Resonance
• This liposuction system employs mechanical and acoustic forces to emulsify fat within a targeted area, while preserving other
  important tissue structures.
  
  • "VASER Lipo utilizes acoustic forces to safely dislodge fat cells while protecting surrounding tissues, ultimately producing a clean, smooth aspirate with excellent cell viability."
• The fat deposits emulsified from a VASER system are then removed from the body by aspiration (liposuction.)
• The individual fat cells remain intact after emulsification from VASER.  Thus,  fat collected during the VASER Liposuction may be harvested for autologous fat transfer. 

VASER Liposuction by Dr. Emmanuel De La Cruz (Before & After VASER Liposuction 1 Month)

Before and after liposuction:  VASER Liposuction by Dr. Emmanuel De La Cruz

What are the potential complications from VASER Liposuction?

•  Burning of the skin
•  Contour irregularities (less with the VASER when compared with traditional liposuction.)

ADVANTAGES of VASER Liposuction?

• Improved skin retraction according to reports by physician users
• "No serious complications reported related to VASER technology in more than 70,000 procedures." 
• "No complications, burns, contour irregularities or prolonged swelling in a study of 77 patients, no revisions needed in a multi-center pilot study."

New technology in plastic surgery is exciting.  VASER Liposuction may improve one's body contour, but not everyone would be a candidate.  It is essential to see your plastic surgeon if one would be a candidate for a liposuction, whether it be VASER, Smart Lipo or traditional suction lipectomy.  Further procedures, such as a tummy tuck, may be needed to achieve the ideal body that one would want.

Emmanuel De La Cruz MD PLLC

The Woodlands Plastic Surgeon

References:

Jewell, Fodor et al. ibid. pp 137–140; Garcia, Proven Safety of the VASER, ibid, pp 2–3
Jewell, Fodor et al. Clinical application of VASER-assisted lipoplasty, ibid. pp 131–145 

Mark Shafer, PhD.  Principles of Ultrasound for Body Contouring: The VASER® System. 

EB De Souza Pinto, MD, R. Federico MD, et Al. Lipomioplasty with VASER: A New Approach to Body Contouring. In: Innovations in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Editors M. Eisenmann-Klein and C. Neuhann-Lorenz, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 2008, p. 433-442.

Onelio Garcia, et al. Comparative Analysis of Blood Loss in SAL and Third-Generation Internal UAL. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Volume 28, Number 4, July/August 2008

Prado A, et al. A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Clinical Trial Comparing Laser-Assisted Lipoplasty with Suction-Assisted Lipoplasty. Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 118(4):1032–1045, September 15, 2006.

Happy New Year!!! 2012

 

Emmanuel De La Cruz MD, PLLC

The Woodlands Plastic Surgeon

Breast Feeding After Breast Implants

Breast Feeding After Breast Augmentation

   There are two main types of implants being used for breast augmentation:  silicone gel and saline implants.  Neither silicone gel nor saline implants interfere with breast-feeding.  Although there have been concerns about passing the silicone into breast milk during breast feeding if the implants were to rupture, studies have shown that silicone molecules are too large to pass into the milk ducts and breast gland tissue. Surprisingly, silicone levels were found to be higher in commercially available infant formulas (4402.5 ng/mL)  than those found in women with silicone breast implants (55 ng/mL).

Photograph from Alliedhealthblog

     Although there are no guarantees that one would be able to breast-feed whether you undergo breast augmentation or not, the type of incision may affect one's ability to breast-feed.  There are few choices for incision location for breast augmentation:  periareaolar incision (around the edge of the nipple), inframammary incision (incision underneath the breast), axillary incision (along the arm pit), and periumbilical (around the belly button). 

     A periareolar incision may interrupt or disturb the lactiferous/milk ducts of the breast. Previous clinical studies have shown that women who had breast surgery through a periareolar incision were five times more likely, when compared to women without breast surgery, to have insufficient milk during breast feeding.  A periareolar incision may still be used with minimal damage to the lactiferous/milk ducts depending on the technique used by your surgeon to place the breast implant.  A recent study showed that there was no difference (p>0.05) found in the breastfeeding experience between periareolar and inframammary approaches in women with hypoplastic breasts (small breasts) who underwent a breast augmentation.  This study, however, showed that the success rate of breast feeding decreases by 25% in women with hypoplastic breast who previously underwent breast augmentation. According to the study, the need to supplement breastfeeding increases by 19% in these women.

Fast Facts on Breast Feeding and Breast Surgery

• A Brazilian study has recently shown that the probability that a woman will be able to breastfeed exclusively after breast reduction was 29%; after breast augmentation was 54%; and in women who had no breast surgery was 80%.
• The risk of not being able to breast feed in women who had breast reduction is 5 times greater than in women who had no surgery (p=0.002).
• The risk of not being able to breast feed in women who had breast augmentation is 2.6 times greater than in women who had no breast surgery (p=0.075).

Although the clinical evidence is not as strong for a physician analyzing this data (not a Level I evidence), there is indeed data to suggest that breast surgery, such as a breast augmentation, may affect one's ability to breastfeed.  I recommend discussing your concern and your plans to breast-feed with one of your Houston cosmetic surgeons when you decide to have a breast augmentation procedure (breast implant placement.)  The type of incision that your plastic surgeon uses may vary based on individual considerations. 

Emmanuel De La Cruz M.D.

Houston Plastic Surgeon

Reference:

Andrade RA, et al. Breastfeeding pattern in the first month of life in women submitted to breast reduction and augmentation. Jornal de Pediatria. 2010 May-Jun;86(3):239-44

Cruz NI and Korchin. Breastfeeding after augmentation mammaplasty with saline implants. Annals of Plastic Surgery. 2010 May; 64(5):530-3
Hurst N.  Breastfeeding after breast augmentation. Journal of Human Lactation. 2003 Feb;19(1):70-1

Semple JL, Lugowski SJ, Baines CJ, et al. Breast milk contamination and silicone implants: preliminary results using silicon as a proxy measurement for silicone. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1998 Aug;102(2):528-533.

Date Article Updated: 6/1/2011