“I need an honest opinion. Should I have laser liposuction?”

July 29th, 2009 Dr. McKane

I received an email today that I would like to share with you.  “I’m thinking about undergoing liposuction.  I’ve read about CoolLipo, LipoLite, SmartLipo, and the Neira 4L laser.  There seems to be a lot technology out there.  I need an honest opinion.  Should I have laser liposuction?”

Within the past ten to fifteen years, there have been many technologies developed to augment liposuction.  These have included power assisted, ultrasound assisted, and more recently, laser assisted liposuction.  In laser liposuction, a laser device is either applied internally with probes or externally through the patient’s skin.  The laser devices are expensive to develop and to buy and because of this they are heavily marketed by both the manufacturer and the physicians using them in an attempt to recover these costs.  The laser devices are touted to be “less invasive,” to improve recovery, and to provide better results than the other non laser liposuction technologies.  To be honest with you, these are substantial claims that in my mind have not been adequately evaluated. 

I don’t want to identify any one of these products specifically, so I will be general in my opinions about this.  First, to claim that a laser assisted liposuction technology is non invasive or less invasive is completely false.  Don’t be fooled into the idea that because the incision at the skin’s surface is small, that these procedures are not invasive.  When you’re dealing with a 1 or 2 mm cannula (probe), of course the incision is going to be small.  However, the fact of the matter is that a metal rod or wire is still inserted beneath the skin to deliver laser energy to the tissues being treated.  This tissue is then effectively burned and the size of this burn corresponds to the area being treated.  This area of trauma is far larger than the small incision used to create it.  Furthermore, depending on the technology that you are dealing with and the size of the area being treated, the cannulae may be too small to allow adequate fat removal and so more conventional cannulae may be used to actually remove the fat.  As much as the manufacturer would like you to believe it, this is by no means non invasive or less invasive.  That idea is purely semantics.  Any form of liposuction is by its nature an invasive procedure.  To support claims about improved recovery and better results with laser technologies, clinical trials that were randomized and double blinded would need to be conducted.  I may be wrong about this, but I don’t think that this will ever occur.  At this point, these claims remain subjective and anecdotal at best. 

So to answer the question, “Should I have laser liposuction?”  Consider it, but realize that it may not be everything that it is supposed to be.  Other, non- laser liposuction technologies are also safe and effective when used by experienced surgeons. 

Our websites www.beauty-surgeon.com and www.drmckane.com have additional information and before and after photographs of liposuction procedures  for review.  I invite you to schedule a consultation with me if you would like to learn more about any of the liposuction technologies available for your surgery.   Please feel free to contact our office at (713) 661-5255 if you have any questions.

-Brice W. McKane, M.D.

Posted in Body Contouring, Home, Liposuction | No Comments »

“If I have a tummy tuck, will I be able to have a breast reconstruction?”

July 24th, 2009 Dr. McKane

I saw a patient in clinic today whose mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age.  She had concerns that she might develop breast cancer in the future.  After having three children, this patient was considering a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) as a means to contour her abdomen.  She asked a very important question, “If I have a tummy tuck, will I be able to have a breast reconstruction?”

There are several reconstructive options used to deal with the defects created in the treatment of breast cancer.  They fall into two general categories.  Prosthetic reconstructions involve the use of tissue expanders and implants to reconstruct the breast.  Alternatively, autologous reconstructions use a woman’s own tissues to reconstruct the breast.  These tissues are moved from the abdomen, back, or buttocks and repositioned to reconstruct the breast.  The abdomen can provide a large amount of tissue in some patients.  As such, it  may be the ideal donor site for reconstructing a large breast, or in some instances a reconstruction involving both breasts.  Since the abdomen is the source for such an important option, a woman considering an abdominoplasty needs to understand that following this procedure, the abdomen cannot serve as the source of tissue for a breast reconstruction.  This is due to the fact that the blood vessels necessary to support the breast reconstruction are cut during an abdominoplasty.  If the abdominal tissues were moved after an abdominoplasty, the reconstructed breast would die. 

So, to answer her question: “Yes, you can still undergone a breast reconstruction following a tummy tuck; however, the source of the tissues cannot be the abdomen.” A woman that has undergone an abdominoplasty who later develops a breast cancer will need to consider the back or buttock as her options for an autologous breast reconstruction.  Alternatively, she may consider a prosthetic reconstruction.  The abdominal flaps will not be available to reconstruct the breast.   

Our websites, www.beauty-surgeon.com and www.drmckane.com have additional information and before and after photographs for review.  I invite you to schedule a consultation with me if you would like to learn more about abdominoplasty or breast reconstruction.   Please feel free to contact our office at (713) 661-5255 if you have any questions.

-Brice W. McKane, M.D.

Posted in Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck), Body Contouring, Home | 2 Comments »