Liron Eldor

Multimodality gynecomastia repair by cross-chest power-assisted superficial liposuction combined with endoscopic-assisted pull-through excision.

Numerous methods of gynecomastia repair have been described to accomplish removal of breast tissue. Our multimodality surgical approach for the treatment of gynecomastia combines the use of power-assisted superficial cross-chest liposuction with direct pull-through excision of the breast parenchyma under endoscopic supervision. Seventeen patients, aging 17–39, underwent this multimodality approach. According to Simons grading, 3 patients had grade 1, 5 had grade 2a, 6 had grade 2b, and 3 had grade 3 gynecomastia. Power-assisted liposuction was performed with a 3- or 4-mm triple-hole cannula inserted through the contralateral periareolar medial incision to suction the contralateral prepectoral fatty breast. At the end of the liposuction, the fibrous tissue was easily pulled through the ipsilateral stab wound and excised under endoscopic control. Follow-up time ranged from 6 to 34 months. The amount of fat removed by liposuction varied from 100–800 mL per breast, and the amount of breast parenchyma removed by excision varied from 20–110 g. All patients recovered remarkably well. No complications were recorded. All patients were satisfied with their results. This technique enables an effective treatment of both the fatty and fibrous tissue of the male breast and avoids skin redundancy due to skin contraction. A smooth masculine breast contour is consistently achieved without the stigma of this type of surgery.

Hair removal using intense pulsed light (EpiLight): patient satisfaction, our experience, and literature review.

Applications for intense pulsed light (IPL) for hair removal are gaining favor among other methods, including lasers, because of its noninvasive nature, versatility regarding different skin and hair types, safety, and ease of use. Hair removal using IPL was performed from January 2002 to December 2003 on 108 consecutive patients. Eighty of these patients answered a questionnaire and were enrolled in the study group. The investigated parameters were hair and skin type, number of pulses, fluence, pulse duration, pulse delay, the filters used, and the treated area. The patient assessment of improvement (satisfaction) rate was graded from 1 to 5 points: 1, worse; 2, no improvement; 3, mild improvement; 4, good result; and 5, excellent result. The patients had between 1 and 13 treatments most of them during 2 to 6 sessions. Sixty-seven percent of the patients reported no complications. Prolonged erythema for more than 7 days was reported by 16.25%, blisters by 6.25%, temporary hyperpigmentation by 8.75%, leukotrichia was present in 1 case, and 1 case of persistent hypopigmentation was noted in a young girl. An increased number of complications and a decreased satisfaction rate were noted with higher skin types, but it was not statistically significant. Patients who underwent fewer treatments (1–3 treatments) were more satisfied compared with those who had more than 7 treatments (P < 0.02). Sixty percent of the patients rated their satisfaction to be good to excellent and 65% would ill recommend this treatment to their friends. To minimize the complication rate the authors found that the preset parameters should be adjusted at every treatment session according to the skin response at the previous one. Permanent hair removal cannot be guaranteed and it is not possible to predict the improvement rate. Nevertheless, based on patient satisfaction rate in this study, the authors recommend using IPL for hair removal.

Breast augmentation under general anesthesia versus monitored anesthesia care: a retrospective comparative study.

Breast augmentation is one of the leading esthetic surgeries, enjoying high satisfaction rates. Pain, nausea, and vomiting are frequent shortcomings of the immediate postoperative period. The aim of this study was to compare breast augmentation from the anesthetic point of view: general anesthesia (GA) versus monitored anesthesia care (MAC). The charts of 115 patients were reviewed in this retrospective study performed over a period of 2 years. Sixty-nine women chose to have the surgery done under MAC, and 46 under GA. Statistically significant differences were noted in both postoperative hospital stay (16.1 ± 6.78 hours vs. 11.7 ± 6.10 hours) and frequency of vomiting (mean, 0.5 vs. 0.22 times per patient) after GA and MAC, respectively (Mann-Whitney, P < 0.01). Postoperative pain, assessed using the visual analog scale, was significantly higher (mean visual analog scale, 5 vs. 3.27) when the prosthesis was placed in the submuscular plane compared with the subglandular plane (Mann-Whitney, P = 0.043). When offered a choice, more women preferred MAC over GA for their breast augmentation procedure. Less vomiting and shorter postoperative hospitalization were prominent in the MAC group.

Fate of exposed breast implants in augmentation mammoplasty.

Exposure of silicone breast implants usually leads to infection and extrusion. According to the literature, implant extrusion rates are not higher than 2%1 and removal of the implant is recommended. 2 During the past 3 years, the authors dealt with eight implant exposures (six women: two cases of bilateral exposure and four cases of unilateral exposure). All the pockets were infected. Patients were offered two alternatives: immediate removal of the implant and reimplantation after a few months or conservative treatment with an effort to close the exposed area after the discharge stopped. All the patients in this study chose the latter alternative. Four out of eight implants were saved. The authors had to remove the other four. The average follow-up of these women was 2 years and there were no signs of capsular contracture or any other problems. According to this series, 50% of eight exposed breast implants could be saved with conservative treatment.

The role of the plastic surgeon in dealing with soft tissue injuries: experience from the second Israel-Lebanon war, 2006.

During the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon, 282 Israeli soldiers were evacuated to Rambam Health Care Campus. Of these, 210 were admitted for observation or treatment, and 15 of these were admitted to the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Thirty-five other soldiers, hospitalized in other departments, required the care of Plastic Surgeons, either for conservative or surgical treatment. The injury profile observed was consistent with data from previous low-intensity warfare, which demonstrated that over 80% of injuries were produced by fragmentation weapons, such as artillery, mortarshells, rockets, and missiles. It differs, however, from our experience in previous wars and our expectations regarding burn wounds, both in incidence and severity, which were significantly lower as compared with the past. This article presents our management of extensive soft tissue injuries, and details 3 representative cases. It highlights the role of the Plastic Surgeon as part of the whole treatment in this type of injury and helps to predict the needs of the medical system in preparation for the future.

Advances in human stem cell research.

Daily, scientists join the rapidly growing circle of researchers exploring one of the new frontiers of modern science: stem cells. Just as today medical practice previous to the introduction of antibiotics seems archaic and almost unimaginable, so will the pre“stem cell age” in the not so distant future. The aim of this review is to expose clinicians to the world of stem cells, provide key definitions, and discuss advances in stem cell research and obstacles to be overcome before clinical implementation can take place. Great confusion and many misnomers surround the criteria used to define stem cells. To be considered such, cells must exhibit at least the following characteristics: