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Adipocyte Derived Regenerative Stem Cells for breast enhancement in Europe and Asia-Pacific
– Reported, October 20, 2012
Dr. Lu Jean Feng is one of a handful of surgeons in the country using a revolutionary procedure that separates stem cells found in fat and then redistributing it into the breasts.
Colleen DeVito is a breast cancer survivor and, after a double mastectomy, she wanted a more natural option.
“I had immediate reconstruction using my own muscles, blood vessels and tissue,” Colleen says.
She also used a new procedure called Adipocyte Derived Regenerative Stem Cells, or ADRCs.
Researchers are studying fat stem cells to potentially treat burns, radiation injuries and inflammatory bowel disease and, while it’s been used for the past few years in cosmetic surgery, it’s still considered experimental and not FDA approved.
The Celution System is a medical device that enables beside access to adult adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs) by automating and standardizing the extraction, washing, and concentration of a patients own ADRCs for present and future clinical use.
The Celution System is currently being used in cosmetic & reconstructive surgery in Europe and Japan and is being investigated for additional potential applications including cardiovascular disease, stress urinary incontinence, kidney disease and liver disease among others.
Celution was CE Marked in January 2006 for extraction and concentration of stem and regenerative cells from adipose tissue for autologous re-implantation or reinfusion. The Celution System is not available in the United States. Cytori is working with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to bring the Celution technology to the United States.
Adipose tissue, most commonly obtained through a standard liposuction procedure, is the richest known source of adult stem and regenerative cells in the body. The Celution System processes autologous adipose tissue, extracting a mixed cell population without cell culture. The stem and regenerative cells that are found naturally within adipose tissue include stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells, tissue resident macrophages, microvascular cells and smooth muscle cells.
The stem and regenerative cells that are extracted using the Celution System are not derived from embryos.
The Celution System was introduced into the European and Asia-Pacific cosmetic and reconstructive surgery market in 2008. Since that time, physicians in Europe and Japan have been using ADRCs to enrich fat grafts for a number of cosmetic applications including breast reconstruction, breast augmentation, facial rejuvenation and buttock augmentation, among others.
Dr. Feng uses liposuction to remove unwanted fat and then processes the fat in a device that separates the stem cells.
“An enzyme is thrown in there to release all the fat cells and growth factors and immature vessels and stem cells then it’s separated from the fat cells and concentrated,” Dr. Feng says.
After it’s done, what’s left is injected and formed into the breast.
“This breast is more of a teardrop shape that follows the natural breast skin lines and this is a great way to fill it and make a more natural looking breast,” Dr. Feng says.
The procedure can be used to smooth the lines of implants or fill the void if implants are removed.
It can also improve congenital conditions such as uneven breast size.
For women like Colleen, it helped with both the physical and mental recovery of breast cancer.
“To wake up after such a traumatic event and have breasts and then after the second surgery they looked that much better I just cried it meant the world to me,” Colleen says.
Dr. Feng has done more than 50 natural breast enhancements.
The procedure is not meant for obese or very thin patients and cost is around $14,000