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How is Alloderm Used During Breast Reconstruction?

How do medical products like Alloderm aid in breast reconstruction procedures?

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+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
Frank Agullo, MD
El Paso Plastic Surgeon
+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
Loren Schechter, MD
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
Fredrick A. Valauri, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon
+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.
C. Andrew Salzberg, MD
Tarrytown Plastic Surgeon
+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
Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon
+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.
Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+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
David Greenspun, MD, MSc
New York Plastic Surgeon
+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
Tim Abou-Sayed, MD
Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon
+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
C. Bob Basu, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon
+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.
Sanjiv Kayastha, MD
Albany Plastic Surgeon
+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. 
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+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
David Bogue, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+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.
Kevin Brenner, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+2

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
Christopher V. Pelletiere, MD
Barrington Plastic Surgeon
+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
Michael H. Rosenberg, MD
White Plains Plastic Surgeon
+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
Michael Diaz, MD
Melbourne Plastic Surgeon
+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
Christopher L. Hess, MD
Fairfax 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
Glynn Bolitho, PhD, MD, FACS
San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+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
Lisa B. Cassileth, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+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.
Sugene Kim, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon
+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
Lavinia Chong, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
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