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[Healthy Family] Stem Cell Breast Augmentation is the Alternative to Implants at the 'Lymphoma Causing' Controversy [Source: JoongAng Ilbo] [Healthy Family] Stem Cell Breast Augmentation is the Alternative to Implants at the 'Lymphoma Causing' Controversy

By 2019-11-14No Comments

 Shin Dong-jin, Director of SC301 Clinic



Last month, citing an FDA report, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it would strengthen mid-to-long-term monitoring following findings that some breast implant products, such as Allergan's 'Netrell,' cause anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a type of blood cancer.

 
Specialist Column: Chief Director Shin Dong-jin of SC301 Clinic
Breast implants offer the advantage of increasing breast volume to the desired level regardless of body type. However, despite advancements in materials, the noticeable artificial appearance is unavoidable. Furthermore, the potential for various medical issues, such as capsular contracture (hardening into a spherical shape) or rupture, remains. On top of this, measures taken by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety are fueling women's anxiety.
 
Breast implants are a cosmetic procedure that is not generally recommended to patients. Even without considering the risk of lymphoma, there is a steady stream of patients who wish to have their implants removed after about 10 years due to capsular contracture, rupture, or aesthetic issues. Approximately 20 to 40 percent of women who have had breast implants inserted undergo removal surgery for these problems. In particular, the empty space remaining after removal can lead to breast sagging and adhesions.
 
The only way to resolve this problem is through revision surgery. Revision surgery is performed by re-implanting implants or injecting autologous fat to restore the sunken volume.
 
Most women who have had implants removed feel reluctant about reinsertion. From a doctor's perspective, reinsertion is also not recommended as it can worsen symptoms caused by the implants. Therefore, it is advisable to use autologous fat to naturally restore lost volume whenever possible. In particular, stem cell breast augmentation using adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) can be effective in this case.
 
Stem cells generate new somatic cells capable of replacing body tissues that have lost their function due to damage, aging, or deformation caused by external stimuli. They also secrete various growth factors to induce the healing and activation of existing somatic cells. When stem cells are mixed with autologous fat during breast augmentation, they induce the growth of blood vessels between separated fat cells, thereby aiding in the reorganization of the fat cells. While the engraftment rate of fat cells in simple fat grafting is 10–20%, the engraftment rate for stem cell breast augmentation reaches an average of 76%. Therefore, stem cell breast augmentation can be an effective alternative for breast revision surgery following the removal of implants.
 
However, proven surgical know-how is crucial for successful stem cell breast augmentation. Specifically, surgical safety and engraftment rates are key. Furthermore, since fat must be transplanted uniformly, it is paramount to find a medical team equipped with skilled expertise and the specialized technology and systems to handle stem cells. It is essential to properly extract fat cells and stem cells using proven specialized equipment, and then inject an appropriate level of stem cells in a single procedure using tools such as a cell counter.
[Source: JoongAng Ilbo] [Healthy Family] Stem Cell Breast Augmentation is an Alternative to Implants at the 'Lymphoma-Inducing' Controversy