Fashion And Beauty

Black women are 47% less likely than other women to undergo breast reconstruction after having a mastectomy, according to a study published in the November issue of Archives of Surgery, HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report reports. Undergoing breast reconstruction surgery immediately after having a mastectomy has several advantages, including aesthetic, psychosocial well-being and cost-effectiveness, according to the Johns Hopkins University researchers who conducted the study.

Researchers led by Gedge Rosson, an assistant professor of plastic surgery, analyzed data on 17,925 black and white women who had a mastectomy between 1995 and 2004; 27.9% of the women had breast reconstruction immediately after their mastectomy. The researchers also analyzed data on the communities where the women lived. Researchers found that being older, living in inner cities with high black populations and having a high school education or less all were factors indicating likeliness to not have reconstruction surgery. Wealthy women, those with more education and those who did not live in inner cities were more likely to have immediate reconstruction surgery, according to the study.

Researchers noted that even white women living in poor black neighborhoods were less likely to undergo the procedure. Rosson said, “The community a patient lives in actually does influence, in some way, the access they have to breast reconstruction. We need to learn more about why that is.” He added, “People have noticed that African-Americans have fewer referrals to plastic surgeons, and if they do have a referral, they have a lower rate of going to those referrals. Strangely, even once they see the plastic surgeon, reconstruction seems to be offered with less frequency.”

Researchers believe that more education programs are needed to inform women of the benefits of breast reconstruction and a particular emphasis is needed in racial and ethnic minority communities .

The study is available online.

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org.

In what is believed to be the first time in the United States, a nerve transfer was performed on a paraplegic to relieve life-threatening pressure ulcers - a common side effect associated with wheelchair-bound patients. The surgery took place on November 11, 2008, at Monmouth County Medical Center, and was performed by a team of medical professionals led by Dr. Andrew Elkwood, M.D. of the Plastic Surgery Center in Shrewsbury, NJ.

Yesterday’s surgery was performed on a 65-year old Monmouth County man, who was left paraplegic after being caught in a gunshot crossfire several years ago. As part of the procedure, Dr. Elkwood and his team surgically removed nerves from the patient’s paralyzed legs to his chest and successfully relieved the acute pain caused by the pressure ulcers. Ultimately, the surgery is intended to stimulate sensation in the patient’s posterior.

Dr. Elkwood commented, “Our goal was to first fix the immediate problem, the pressure sores, and then attempt to fix the cause. We are extremely pleased with the initial results of the procedure and are therefore encouraged by the long-term potential for the surgery. Specifically, if this proves successful, it can be life-altering for tens of thousands of wheelchair-bound patients whose lives are subjugated by acute pressure ulcers and sores.”

Images available upon request.

About Dr. Elkwood

Dr. Andrew Elkwood, M.D., is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who practices at The Plastic Surgery Center in Shrewsbury, NJ. He performs unique operations involving nerve transplantation and complex reconstruction. Dr. Elkwood is a pioneer in sural nerve grafting procedures, where he transfers nerves from one part of a patient’s body to another to treat life-altering injuries. He also uses this procedure to eliminate common side effects caused by prostate cancer removal, such as impotence and incontinence. Dr. Elkwood serves as the Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ, and is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery in General Surgery and Plastic Surgery. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgery (FACS) and a Fellow of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Plastic Surgery Center

Identifying malnutrition before surgery in massive weight loss patients seeking body contouring will significantly decrease surgical complications, accelerate wound healing, improve scar quality and boost patient energy levels, according to a study in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(R), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Optimizing nutrition with the addition of supplements, such as powder drinks and multi-vitamin tablets formulated for massive weight loss patients, is vital to successful body contouring surgery, the study reveals.

“Body contouring procedures for massive weight loss patients are major operations with large incisions in many areas that demand a lot of the body during the healing process,” said ASPS Member Surgeon and study co-author Dennis Hurwitz, MD. “By carefully monitoring nutritional deficiencies preoperatively and supplementing the patient with the necessary nutrients, minerals and vitamins, I have seen a significant decrease in complications and improved postoperative healing. In my practice, I won’t do body contouring procedures on this patient population without a preoperative regimen of nutritional supplements.”

The study was performed in two parts; First, medical literature regarding nutrition’s effect on healing from the 1940s to the present was reviewed. The authors then compared healing and wound problems in 75 of their massive weight loss body contouring patients from 2001 to 2005 who did not receive supplementation, with 37 patients from 2006 to present, who participated in a uniquely designed nutritional supplement program prior to surgery. The study also noted the role of each nutrient in wound healing and immune response.

The study found that complications and wound problems occurred in 66 percent of the 75 patients who did not receive supplementation before 2006. In the 37 patients on the nutritional supplement regimen after 2006, major complication rates were reduced to 19 percent. The study found specifically that improving nutritional deficiencies in massive weight loss patients improved the healing process, wound tension, and scar quality, in addition to increasing patients’ energy levels.

Because of reduced calorie intake for massive weight loss patients, they are highly susceptible to malnutrition, the study observed. At one year after bariatric surgery, most patients’ food intake remains at about 1,000 calories per day, not even close to meeting standard recommendations regarding calories and protein intake. The study also noted the role various nutrients play in wound healing: Protein, vitamins A, B complex, C, arginine, glutamine, iron, zinc and selenium promote wound healing, collagen production and immune response; Vitamin B complex has also been associated with reducing the risk of deep vein thrombosis.

According to the ASPS, nearly 67,000 body contouring procedures after massive weight loss were performed in 2007.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 6,700 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons
http://www.plasticsurgery.org

Advances in breast surgery have this year hit an all time high, with the introduction of Macrolane to the UK and with the growing popularity of Transaxillary Incision. Both procedures equal great results without unsightly scars.

SurgiCare, a leading UK cosmetic surgery provider, is always looking for the next advancement in cosmetic procedures in order to offer patients different options to match different required results. Surgicare works with a portfolio of surgeons, such as Egon Eder, who specialise in pioneering new procedures.

The non surgical arena is Surgicare’s fastest growing offering, as well as sustained rapid growth in Breast Augmentations, and it is a natural step to offer Macrolane to its ever evolving portfolio.

Egon Eder explains the benefits: “Macrolane is perfect for women who want to enhance the natural shape of their breasts. Perhaps they have lost volume after child birth or weight loss or they want to correct uneven breast size. Macrolane involves an injectable treatment, similar to a dermal filler and is carried out under a local anaesthetic. One of the main advantages of using Macrolane for breast enhancement is seeing the results instantly as well as the treatment leaving no scarring. Obviously each patient is different and the average result will last between 12-18 months. I would advise that patients have a yearly top-up to maintain optimum results.

Egon Eder is also a specialist in Transaxillary Incision (transax or armpit incision). This type of incision is used in the placement of implants for breast augmentations. To avoid scarring, an incision is made in the natural folds of the armpit tissue then a channel is created up to the breast. The implant is then inserted and moved through the channel and positioned and centered behind the nipple. Egon Eder said: “The biggest advantage with the Transaxillary Incision is that the scar is not on the breast.”

Mark Bury, chief executive of Surgicare says: “We are constantly looking to evolve our surgical and non-surgical offering and this year seems to be the year breast surgery has taken yet another step. With the help of our surgeons like Egon Eder, we will be able to offer new techniques across our entire cosmetic portfolio.”

For more information or to arrange a consultation with SurgiCare call 0800 62 22 22 or visit http://www.surgicare.co.uk

Even as many of us yearn to wear the sheer, body-hugging fashions available today, we are stopped by our rear reflection and the sight of dreaded back fat rolls and lumps. A study published in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), reveals a new back lift procedure that removes these unsightly bumps and bulges while hiding the scar under the bra line.

“For many patients - even the very fit ones, such as an aerobics instructor - the upper to mid-line back where the rolls and bulges form was very frustrating,” said senior author Joseph Hunstad, MD and ASPS Member Surgeon. “This redundancy of skin occurs generally from aging and cannot be exercised away. For those who desire to wear form-fitting outfits, this procedure eliminates the problem.”

The study reviewed seven female patients who had the bra-line back lift between 2001 and 2007 with an average follow-up of 22 months. Pre-operative marks were placed to outline the patient’s brassiere, as well as delineate the excess back tissue to be removed. The procedure removed the redundant skin, sometimes up to 8 or 10 inches wide, and connected the remaining tissue together. According to the study, the procedure takes about an hour from start to finish. The authors have completed the bra-line back lift on 20 patients to date.

The study found minimal complications and about two weeks after surgery, patients were allowed to increase their activity levels based on their discomfort. Feedback from all seven patients was uniformly positive, according to the study.

The study concluded that the procedure is a safe and powerful method to contour the middle and upper back - literally removing all of the back rolls and folds. By placing the scar within the patient’s bra-line, it is easily concealed even by a two-piece bathing suit, according to the study.

“This is an exciting new procedure that gives patients concerned about this area of their body a possible new option to discuss with their plastic surgeon,” said James Wells, Chair of the ASPS Public Education Committee. “As with all new procedures that are not yet widely practiced, patients need to choose an ASPS Member Surgeon who has a comprehensive understanding of how bodies change over time, the impact of environment and lifestyle and the know-how to develop the best treatment plan for the best result.”

According to the ASPS, more than 19,500 lower back lifts were performed in 2007. Currently, statistics for upper back lifts are not available.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 6,700 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 90 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
ASPS Media Relations
American Society of Plastic Surgeons

In noisy environments, prosthetic ears may improve hearing and speech recognition, according to an article released on September 15, 2008 in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

When the outer ear, also called the pinna, is removed surgically or significantly damaged by trauma, patients may require prosthetic ears, according to the article. The authors describe the situation faced by these patients: “Their external auditory canal is usually intact, and the remainder of their auditory system should function normally,” they say. “In these patients, the physician must strive not only to correct the aesthetic defect caused by the missing pinna but also to correct the hearing loss caused by its absence.”

To investigate the potential effects of a prosthetic ear on the patient, William E. Walsh, M.D., C.M.I., of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and colleagues examined eight different silicone rubber prostheses in a two part study. First, the researchers experimented using a life-sized head made of foam, with a 12-millimeter hole drilled at the location of the external auditory canal. Placing a microphone at the entrance of the ear canal, the sound pressure with and without the prosthesis as the head rotated.

The prosthesis improved the sound volume acquired by 8.1 decibels when the frequency of the sound was 4.6 kilohertz. This increase was 9.7 decibels when the frequency was 11.5 kilohertz.

In the second part of the study, the researchers examined whether this improvement would actually benefit patients. A total 11 English-speaking young adults with normal hearing took a speech test in two different forms. The first was unmodified, ,while the second allowed the acoustic effects caused by the absense of a pinna were stimulated, based on the data from the study made with the foam head. Participants sat in front of two speakers,  one playing normal speech and one playing white noise. The participants then plugged their left ears and tried to understand the sentences. The sound level of the speech was gradually increased, one decibel at a time, until the participant could understand all of the sentences. This was repeated with the prosthesis over the opposite ear.

The prosthesis used in this tests improved the average ratio of speech to noise at which the subject was able to understand all of the sentences heard. The authors of the study claim this “answers the question whether the gain measured in a model system actually improves a patient’s hearing,”

The continue, discussing prosthetic ears in the context of improved acoustics. “Auricular prostheses provide an acoustic gain at certain head positions and frequencies, and this acoustic gain is clinically relevant because it benefits speech recognition in noise.” They continue: “In some individuals, auricular prostheses not only effectively restore aesthetics but also may improve hearing. To verify the results of the present experiments, the main outcome measures described in this study will be used to obtain future measurements from individuals who wear auricular prostheses.”

The Importance of Auricular Prostheses for Speech Recognition
William E. Walsh, MD, CMI; Brian Dougherty, BS; David J. Reisberg, DDS; Edward L. Applebaum, MD; Chirag Shah, BS; Patrick O’Donnell, MD; Claus-Peter Richter, MD, PhD
Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2008;10(5):321-328.
Click Here For Abstract

Patients whose nose has been destroyed by a tumor or injury carry a severe psychological and social burden. Esthetic reconstruction ranges among the most challenging tasks in plastic surgery. Helmut Fischer and Wolfgang Gubisch present the different options for nasal reconstruction surgery in the current issue of Deutsches Arzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2008; 105[43]:741-6).

The authors present the case of a woman who had had a tumor removed from the tip of her nose 12 years previously. The tumor recurred and destroyed the woman’s nose almost completely over the following 7 years. The hope is that patients will not have to suffer this kind of trauma in the future. New operative techniques in plastic surgery enable surgeons to treat large defects after tumor treatment or due to dog bites with a much better cosmetic result. In smaller wounds, the surgeon can do the reconstruction within a single operation. If more than a quarter of the nose has been destroyed, the limitations of this method have been reached: The patient will remain disfigured even after surgery. Better esthetic results can be reached by performing several surgical procedures in succession. However, sometimes a satisfactory result can be achieved only by means of amputation and subsequent reconstruction of the severely damaged nose.

DEUTSCHES AERZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL
Ottostr. 12
50859 Cologne
Germany
http://www.aerzteblatt-international.de

A leading UK expert has expressed concern about the rise of vaginal surgery for purely cosmetic reasons, saying that while there are lots of claims in the popular press, and perhaps more alarmingly, made by some surgeons quoting comments from “satisfied clients”, these are not supported by the medical literature.

Linda Cardozo, Professor of Urogynaecology and Consultant Gynaecologist for Women’s Health at King’s College London, was speaking at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 7th International Scientific Meeting (RCOG2008) in Montreal, Canada, that was held from 17th to 20th September.

Cardozo talked about the growing interest that cosmetic vaginal surgery has attracted in recent years, and that despite the voluminous popular press coverage, there exists little clinical or scientific evidence to guide gynaecological surgeons as to the safety and effectiveness of different procedures.

A recent search on Google for “cosmetic vaginal surgery” yielded over 45,000 references, compared with fewer than 100 on medical literature databases like PubMed and Medline. What scientific literature there is deals mostly with the correction of birth defects or intersex conditions, said Cardozo, and very little with cosmetic surgery done mainly for aesthetic reasons.

Examples of cosmetic vaginal surgery range from the purely aesthetic labiaplasty (reduces the size of the labia), hymenoplasty (restores the hymen) and “vaginal rejuvenation” to vaginal pelvic floor repair, a gynaecological reconstruction which is done partly to restore function and partly to enhance appearance.

Apart from testimonials from “satisfied clients” there is very little objective scientific evidence to support the claims of many surgeons who recommend cosmetic vaginal surgery; claims such as the procedure “restores normal anatomical relationships”, for example after the effects of childbirth or ageing. Some surgeons even suggest that the procedure “enhances sexual gratification”, said Cardozo.

In fact, if women seeking this type of cosmetic surgery were to be made aware of the medical literature that does exist, they might think twice about having it. For example, some literature on reconstructive pelvic surgery suggests that repeated surgery on the vagina increases the risk of scarring, loss of sensation and decreased sexual function: the opposite of what many clients want.

Cardozo suggests women considering cosmetic vaginal surgery as a way to restore sexual dysfunction should seriously consider other less physiologically invasive options first, such as psychosexual counselling and physiotherapy for the pelvic floor. Also, restoring normal pelvic function and anatomy has to consider three organ systems: the urinary organs, the sexual organs and the gastrointestinal organs.

Before choosing the most appropriate type of surgery, there needs to be a thorough assessment of function and the extent to which normal pelvic floor support has been lost, said Cardozo. It is not only a case of taking into account the doctor’s professional view, but also of assessing how each surgical option may affect the patient’s mental and physical state.

Specially designed and validated quality of life survey tools for condition-specific sexual dysfunction should be routinely administered as part of pre-operative assessment and discussion of aims and potential outcomes of any vaginal surgery, said Cardozo. The doctor should also think about whether a psychological assessment might also be beneficial, and perhaps do more careful probing to establish why the patient has asked for surgery over the more conventional treatment.

“Cosmetic vaginal surgery.”
Cardozo, L
Invited Speaker session: S4.14, RCOG2008
Published in special issue of BJOG, Volume 115 Issue s1 , Pages 5 - 31 (September 2008).

Click here to view the RCOG2008 Speaker Session Abstracts (PDF)

Our mothers told us that true beauty is more than skin deep - but researchers from Tel Aviv University are now challenging Mom.

They’ve built a beauty machine that, with the press of a button, turns a picture of your own ordinary face into that of a cover model. While its output is currently limited to digitized images, the software may be able to guide plastic surgeons, aid magazine cover editors, and even become a feature incorporated into all digital cameras.

“Beauty, contrary to what most people think, is not simply in the eye of the beholder,” says lead researcher Prof. Daniel Cohen-Or of the Blavatnik School of Computer Sciences at Tel Aviv University. With the aid of computers, attractiveness can be objectified and boiled down to a function of mathematical distances or ratios, he says. This function is the basis for his beauty machine.

In the Eyes of a Majority of Beholders

The research has attracted interest and controversy. Beauty is, after all, a quality that has captivated artists since time immemorial, and its definition has eluded even the world’s greatest philosophers. Prof. Cohen-Or sees things more scientifically.

“Beauty can be quantified by mathematical measurements and ratios. It can be defined as average distances between features, which a majority of people agree are the most beautiful,” says Prof. Cohen-Or. “I don’t claim to know much about beauty. For us, every picture in this research project is just a collection of numbers.”

In his study, published recently in the proceedings of Siggraph, an annual computer graphics conference, Prof. Cohen-Or and his graduate student Tommer Leyvand - together with two colleagues - surveyed 68 Israeli and German men and women, aged 25 to 40, asking them to rank the beauty of 93 different men’s and women’s faces on a scale of 1 to 7. These scores were then entered into a database and correlated to 250 different measurements and facial features, such as ratios of the nose, chin and distance from ears to eyes. From this, the scientists created an algorithm that applies desirable elements of attractiveness to a fresh image.

True to the Real You

Unlike heavily processed Photoshop images that can make magazine cover models and celebrities unrecognizable, Tel Aviv University’s “beautification engine” is much more subtle. Observers say that the final image it produces retains an unmistakable similarity to the original picture.

Well - in most cases. There is one circumstance where Prof. Cohen-Or’s beauty machine doesn’t work like a charm: when a celebrity’s face is changed.

“We’ve run the faces of people like Brigitte Bardot and Woody Allen through the machine and most people are very unhappy with the results,” he admits. “But in unfamiliar faces, most would agree the output is better.” Prof. Cohen-Or now plans on developing the beauty machine further — to add the third dimension of depth.

American Friends of Tel Aviv University (http://www.aftau.org/) supports Israel’s largest and most comprehensive center of higher learning. It is ranked among the world’s top 100 universities in science, biomedical studies, and social science, and rated one of the world’s top 200 universities overall. Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research programs, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.
Ukf7003axx| href="http://www.ceilingfantasia.com">Fanimation Fans

Intragastric balloon surgery in India is one of the most prominent obesity surgery procedure that is being undertaken by medical patients from abroad at the hands of experienced obesity surgeons in India at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. The medical and healthcare amenities in India are very excellent in terms of cost and quality. Intragastric balloon surgery in India is providing the best medical care for weight loss benefit. Moreover the hospitals and surgeons in India are assisting abroad natives in getting speedy health recovery at a low cost.

The use of an intragastric balloon in the treatment of obesity and morbid obesity has been a well-known. The idea of using a gastric space-occupying volume device, giving a sensation of satiety, for the control of obesity was first described in 1982. Since then, reports have indicated weight loss can be achieved by the use of various free-floating intragastric balloons. Intragastric balloon surgery is performed when an inflatable gastric balloon is endoscopically inserted and then inflated in the stomach to reduce capacity i.e the balloon is inserted via the mouth and oesophagus directly into the stomach.

Immediately following the introduction of the Gastric Balloon the balloon is inflated by introducing saline into the balloon which causes it to swell and reduces a patient’s capacity and ability to consume large volumes of food and fluid. This procedure can be used in isolation to provide a short medium term solution for patients who are struggling to cope with their moderate weight loss challenges. This procedure can also be used as a useful treatment for more seriously and morbidly obese patients, who needs medical assistance in getting to a safer level of obesity before contemplating a more complex and permanent choice of weight loss surgery. Intragastric balloon surgery is said to be of less risk then highly morbid obesity surgery procedures like gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve surgery, and lap band surgery.

Medical treatment in India costs less money and provides additional benefits of modern and latest surgical facilities at the most reputed hospitals in India at Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Medical tourism in India is helping abroad patients to plan their medical travel by providing them assistance in getting medical visa and hospitalization facilities for the surgery procedure. The hospitalization amenities at the obesity surgery hospitals in India at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore are latest and thus one can get a less price intragastric balloon surgery in India with the best result. Apart from getting health recovery one can also get a view of Indian cultural heritage by enjoying holiday vacations at the best Indian tourism resorts. Get more info on less price intragastric balloon surgery in India at http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com or mail queries at enquiry@forerunnershealthcare.com.

http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com