Breast Reconstruction: Q&A
Ask a Question
How is Alloderm Used During Breast Reconstruction?
How do medical products like Alloderm aid in breast reconstruction procedures?
Tags:
26 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
Eva S
in Seattle, WA
+3
Breast Reconstruction with Alloderm and Implants
Alloderm, or other similar products, are frequently used in breast reconstruction with expanders and implants. The expander or implant is placed below the muscle (pectoralis major). Themuscle only covers the top half of the implant. In the past, other muscles were also mobilized to cover the inferior portion of the implant or expander. In the present time, many surgeons use the Alloderm or similar acellular dermal matrix to cover the lower half of the implant. From El Paso, Las Cruces,...
more
+3
Alloderm and breast reconstruction
Alloderm, or any of the other biological products, has taken the place of the lower muscles that used to be integral to breast reconstruction with a tissue expander or implant. When undergoing breast reconstruction with a tissue expander, the expander is covered by your pectoralis major muscle. However, this only covers the top portion of the expander.
Ten years ago, the standard was to lift up some of your abdominal muscle and side muscles to cover the expander completely. Howeever,...
more
+2
Breast reconstruction with Acellular Dermal Matrix
The use of the acellular dermal matrix (such as AlloMax, AlloDerm, FlexHD, etc.) has grown in its applications and use in plastic & reconstructive procedures, and continues to expand. It has truly been a remarkable addition for breast reconstruction.The acellular dermal matrix is a tissue that is specially-prepared, which comes from cadaveric skin. It has been processed in such a way that the basement membrane and cellular matrix remain intact, while removing all other cellular...
more
You might also like...
Real Stories
Amazing Results! - Nashville, TN
I started the surgical process when I discovered I was BRCA2+. I chose Dr. Wendel to...
+2
Acellular dermal matrix (alloderm)
Acellular dermal matrices are products that may be used as part tissue expander or implant-based breast reconstruction. These products are sutured in place over the breast expander or implant and beneath the skin. They may aid in maintaing the inframammary crease of the breast and providing additional coverage over the implant
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+2
Role of Alloderm in Breast Reconstruction
Alloderm is a materai dervied from processed human dermis, which the strong layer of the skin. Alloderm is used to supplement the strength and thickness of the mastectomy skin flaps to allow for use of implants in cases where the breast implant might extrude, or displace by stretching out the mastectomy flap, or be more likely to form a capsular contracture particularly after radiation therapy.
While Alloderm may help to reduce the chance of those problems, I prefer to use...
more
+2
"The first use of alloderm in the breast"
This procedure of using Alloderm for breast surgery was first utilized by me in 2010.The idea was to extend the pectoralis muscle and avoid expanders. Since that time we have performed this procedure on more than 800 breasts with only a small incidence of complications and the procedure has now become the "gold standard " for breast reconstruction.
+2
How Alloderm has helped in reconstruction
As you have read from other plastic surgeons, Alloderm is processed human tissue devoid of cells including immune markers which has greatly improved the quality, predictabilty and options in breast reconstruction. It can provide for a more predictable placement of an implant or expander in am immediate reconstruction as well as increased tissue thickness. It also allows for more precision in the creation/preservation of the fold at the lower part of the breast.
Studies have...
more
+2
Alloderm
Alloderm is cadavaric skin that is treated and used as a biologic to reinforce the soft tissue coverage of the lower pole and protect the expander from exposure.
+2
Alloderm inBreast Reconstruction
Reconstruction using a breast implant can generally be accomplished in one of two ways:
* Using a tissue matrix such as AlloDerm in conjunction with a breast implant in a single stage procedure
* Using a tissue expander that is subsequently replaced by a breast implant; this process requires two separate procedures, usually months apart
Breast implants used in reconstruction cannot generally be placed directly in the space created by the removal of breast tissue. The reason for...
more
+2
Dermal matrix in breast reconstruction
Hello,
Alloderm(TM) and other dermal matrix products have increasingly become the norm in tissue expander/implant reconstruction. The basic concept is that dermal matrices have no living cells anymore, but have a scaffolding, template of collagen and other structural molecules that allow your own tissue to grow along the scaffold.
Historically, when expanders/implants were used in breast reconstruction for mastectomy patients, the surgeon would lift up portions of other muscles,...
more
+2
AlloDerm in Breast Reconstruction
AlloDerm is utilized to facilitate one-stage and two-stage implant reconstruction after mastectomy. AlloDerm is essentially a collagen matrix (or a sheet of collagen) that is derived from a human source. It is used to create a retaining envelope for your implant. Compared to traditional total muscle coverage techniques, many believe AlloDerm use decreases postoperative discomfort and significantly improves the cosmetic results of implant-based reconstruction. ...
more
+2
Alloderm in breast reconstruction
Alloderm is a human derived dermal matrix that can be used in a variety of medical procedures. In breast reconstruction it it used to cover the lower half of the tissue expander or implant. The upper half is covered by the pectoralis muscle. Covering the lower half of the expander or implant with alloderm allows the surgeon to control the shape of the lower half of the breast.
+2
Use of alloderm after breast reconstruction
Alloderm is a tissue substitute and can be used to add buffer tissue for patients with thin skin overlying a breast implant after breast reconstruction.
+2
Alloderm in breast reconstruction
Alloderm is a dermal matrix derived from human skin. The skin is treated to remove all the cells from the tissue, leaving essentially a sheet of collagen. Alloderm is used as a sling to cover the lower pole of the expander. The upper 2/3 of the implant are placed underneath the pectoralis muscle. The Alloderm allows for very exact placement of the lower pole of the expanded breast thus creating a much more predictable reconstruction. Over the ensuing weeks, the body will grow blood vessels...
more
+2
Alloderm revolutionizing Implant-based reconstruction
Alloderm is a product that consists of freeze-dried, irradiated, cadaveric dermis (skin). Alloderm is very useful for implant-based breast reconstruction for several reasons:
1) It covers/protects the lower pole of the implant.
2) It helps the surgeon to more easily re-establish the infra-mammary fold.
3) Some studies have shown that it reduces the incidence of capular contracture.
+2
Alloderm plays a critical role in refining the shape of the reconstruted breast
We use the alloderm as a "sling" to shape the lower and lateral pole of the breast and optimize the position of the breast implant used in reconstruction. The alloderm can help "extend" the muscle to the bottom of the natural breast (inframmary fold) and improve the result. Here in New York, we are using the added shaping we get from the material to allow us to skip the expander process and save our patients from having to undergo a second operation. At...
more
+2
Alloderm during Breast Reconstruction
Alloderm or other "acellular dermis" products have significantly improved my breast reconstruction results when using tissue expanders and implants. The Alloderm is placed at the time of the expander placement. Suturing it to the lower border of the pectoralis chest muscle and the chest wall has many benefits.
The AlloDerm helps push the expander toward the center to give more cleavage. It allows for a more rapid expansion. It also provides an additional covering layer. And for me...
more
+2
For coverage of the implant or expander
For implant or tissue expander immediate breast reconstruction the Alloderm, or I use Neoform, is used to cover the lower part of the expander or implant. Typically the pectoralis or chest wall muscle is divided at its inferior and inferomedial parts. The Alloderm or Neoform is then sutured to the muscle and to the breast crease. This allows for complete tissue coverage of the prosthesis (other than just skin).
If my patient chooses tissue expander reconstruction this is a much better...
more
+1
AlloDerm and Breast Reconstruction
AlloDerm, AlloMax, FlexHD and others are Acellular Human Dermal Matrix products that help support the internal skin envelope during implant based breast reconstruction. In previous decade, when patients were deemed candidates for tissue expander / implant two stage breast reconstruction, the initial expander was inserted deep to the pectoralis major, serratus anterior and upper insertion fibers of the rectus abdominus muscles such that a "full" muscle coverage was done over the...
more
West Hollywood Plastic Surgeon
+1
When is alloderm used in breast reconstruction?
Thanks for your question. Alloderm has gained widespread acceptance and popularity when performing breast reconstruction in the last few years. Alloderm is a "skin replacement" material. It has been around for years and is used in many other types of reconstructive procedures and hernia repairs. Alloderm, in breast reconstruction, helps to re-create a naturally appearing lower breast which is often hard to do in breast reconstruction. Your doctor will decide if...
more
+1
Breast Reconstruction with Alloderm
Alloderm is an acellular tissue matrix that is commonly used with breast reconstruction surgery. During reconstruction, the top half of the tissue expander or implant is covered by the pectoralis major muscle while the Alloderm is placed on the lower half. This helps to create an internal brazier which allows the expander to sit correctly under the
skin as well as maintaining a sufficient inframammary fold for breast symmetry and shape. Alloderm helps add an extra layer of protection to...
more
+1
Alloderm uses in Breast Recomnstruction
They are most commonly used to create shape during placement of tissue expander. That said., Alloderm has many other uses as mentioned on this site.
Tampa Plastic Surgeon
+1
ADM in breast reconstruction
Acellular dermal matrix has become a useful adjunct in breast reconstruction. It can be used in several applications, but most commonly:
1. To provide lower pole support to the reconstructed breast at the time of mastectomy with expander, or implant placement,
2. Reconstruction of the inframammary fold following prior implant reconstruction.
3. Reduction of rippling following implant reconstruction.
4. Reconstruction of the partial mastectomy defect.
5. Use in...
more
+1
Alloderm is used to
1. With tissue expanders
Alloderm is used by many plastic surgeons with tissue expander placement at the time of mastectomy. After the mastectomy, the pectoral muscle is lifted and the Alloderm is placed from the edge of the pec to the bottom of the breast. Generally this means less pain and faster expansion.
2. With implants
Alloderm is used as an "internal bra" to control the position of the implant so that the silicone implant can be placed at the time of mastectomy....
more
+1
Use of Alloderm in breast reconstruction
Alloderm is human-derived dermal matrix. It is used to cover the lower pole of the tissue expander or implant. I do believe that it has several advantages over total muscular coverage of tissue expander/implant. 1)It will give a differential expansion of the upper and lower pole of the implant, i.e. better shaping 2) Expansion process can be less painful than the expansion from a total muscular coverage, 3)More expansion at the time of mastectomy.
+1
Alloderm refines the reconstructed breast
Alloderm, Neoform or Flex HD are dermal grafts obtained from deceased human donors, which can be used for immediate mastectomy reconstruction as a "sling" to cover the lower outer quadrant of the reconstructed breast, thereby redefining the base and outer limits of the breast. It fuses with the mastectomy flap and serves to put the chest wall muscle on stretch, so that the entire expander (temporary device) or implant is more fully covered. Depending on how much skin the surgical...
more
Comments (0)