|
|
|
FAT INJECTIONS Ó PJWMDPA The concept of injecting human fat back into a patient in order to fill holes or plump up certain areas of the anatomy has been popular since the mid 1980’s. There are many methods used to obtain the fat just as there are many methods to place the fat in the desired areas. Herein, lies the problem. Regarding "harvesting" or gathering the fat. It is important for the doctor to remove fat cells from areas of the body that tend to have a higher "take" rate. The fat can be removed by putting a sterile "trap" in the liposuction line just after it leaves the traditional cannula. Unfortunately, many cannulas in use today still may have hollow handles and they cannot be cleaned properly. The author published a study on this safety issue in the late 1980’s in the medical journals. The author’s favorite way to collect fat currently is by attaching a blunt tiny cannula to a sterile disposable syringe. Fat takes longer to harvest this way but the fat cells are not traumatized (hurt or injured) as much by high vacuum machine pressures, or drying as they tumble down a cannula and liposuction tube on the way to the in-line trap. The syringe method of harvesting appears to be the gentlest method of removing fat. Also the fat in the sterile disposable syringes can be cleansed and stored easier with less chance of contamination. Some well-reputed doctors such as Fulton have stored the fat in disposable syringes for a year and these doctors say that the "take" (ability to last long) is just as high as with freshly harvested fat. Whatever the method of "harvesting" the fat, most doctors now agree that usually several treatments (injections) of fat are necessary to get a long-lasting effect from fat injections. In the old days doctors would inject large "globs" of fat. The results were unfortunately too dramatic and temporary resulting from as much as 50% over-corrections. The website author was one of the first doctors in the world to note back in 1987, in conjunction with his professor Dr. Alan E. Wulc of the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Scheie Eye Hospital, that injecting fat into the muscle surrounding the eye socket of patients missing eyes in order for prosthetic eyes to fit better gave the best and longest lasting "take" or result. It has only been recently described that the best fat takes in the face result from injecting the fat directly into the muscles of facial expression to "plump" them. There is concern however that inappropriate injection or injection of fat under force could cause fat globules to enter the blood circulation of the brain or eye causing a stroke or blindness. There have in fact been reports of this associated with mid-face injection of fat under pressure. Allegedly there have been no reports associated with injecting the harvested fat around the eyes, possibly because the blood vessels are too small for the fat globules to enter. Nonetheless, the website author cautions patients and doctors regarding the technique of facial fat injection. The blood vessels communicate directly with the blood vessels of the brain deeply and fat emboli can enter the circulation causing serious problems. Second, no one has biopsied human face muscles injected with fat over time to see what is "plumping" them. No good animal studies have been done to determine whether intramuscular injection is causing fat to "take" within the muscle and whether the muscle is in any way weakened or harmed by the presence of fat or degrading fat. Also, it is still to be determined whether the fat injected into the muscle is breaking down causing swelling or edema fluid in the muscle or whether the fibrosis or scarring in the muscle is impeding the blood or lymph flow out of the muscles thus causing swelling which mimics the effect of "fatty plumping." In short, the long-term effects and the mechanisms have not been adequately studied in the opinion of the website author and the technique of intramuscular fat injection is therefore still suspect in his opinion. Nowadays, the liposuction
surgeons feel that fat injected into fat just yields large globs of fat
cells that die after injection because blood vessels cannot reach the
cells in the center to provide vital oxygen and nutrients. They feel it
is much better to inject tiny paths or strands of fat into the targeted
depths of skin or muscles and note that several more treatments may be
necessary for a full effect. Small-strand fat injections have been reported
(but not in high quality medical literature articles) to last indefinitely
and meet the desires of most patients. Injectable collagen, unfortunately
lasts only about 6 months. However, small strand fat can last for years
and is easily stored and laid down in strands. An additional bonus to
fat injections is that a patient’s body has not yet been shown to
become allergic to his/her own fat. The Web site author
still wishes for patients to be aware that between one and three fat injection
treatments are necessary for most corrections or fillings.
|
Click here
to Contact the Author
|
