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What is Alloderm?

my research of Mastectomy shows that some surgeons used Alloderm. Wondering what it is and how it helps the Mastectomy recovery

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recovery

What is Alloderm?

Alloderm is a collagen matrix that is acellular in nature. That is to say, it is cadaver skin that has had all the cells taken out of it, and just leaves the collagen behind. It is like having a shell of a building there, without all the walls, furniture, and people living inside. This makes it easy for your own body to incorporate your own blood vessels and tissue into the Alloderm. This is being used most currently for hernia operations to cover the hernia, but also in breast... more

Dan Mills, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Alloderm is used in breast reconstruction

Alloderm is a regenerative tissue matrix that is used to improve the breast pocket in breast reconstruction with implants or expanders, It is made from huma skin that is washed free of cells, including human cells, bacteria, and viruses. Your body cannot be infected by or reject Alloderm. It is actually incorporated into natural tissues, unlike other tissue matrices on the market. Alloderm is used to cover the implant or expander, and to control the shape and size of the new breast. more

Karen Vaniver, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Alloderm is a regenerative tissue matirx for breast reconstruction

About 10 years ago I started using alloderm for breast reconstruction cases where an extra layer of support was needed for the implants. I subsequently published an article proving that it becomes living tissue in this application, and it has now become a standard technique. It is made from human skin from a tissue bank, and was originally developed to replace the deep layer of skin for burn victims. It consists of the deeper skin layer with all of the cells removed, so it is essentially a... more

Richard Baxter, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Alloderm?

Thanks for the question. Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) is a biological implant that carries the ability to become integrated into native tissue. It is made by taking a full thickness section of skin from a donor source (human cadaver, porcine, or bovine in origin). In the case of human donors, the tissue is screened for infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Cellular elements are removed from the tissue. ADM can be helpful in improving contour for significant... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

AlloDerm in breast reconstruction

AlloDerm, as my colleagues have stated, is an acellular dermis matrix product (ie a sheet of collagen harvest from a human cadaveric course). This matrix of collagen creates a retaining envelope or hammock for the implant. This helps to create a more natural and aesthetically pleasing breast contour and shape.

C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Alloderm for eyelid reconstruction

Alloderm is an acellular dermal matrix - derived from cadaveric skin which i stripped of the antigenic epidermis and then treated with chemical, irradiated and freeze dried. It is useful in eyelid reconstruction, particularly in patients with eyelid retraction or scarring.

Carlo Rob Bernardino, MD

Monterey Oculoplastic Surgeon

Alloderm is a protein lattice for your own tissue ingrowth

Alloderm is basically donor skin that is freeze dried and chemically treated to remove all cells and cell markers(antigens) that a recipient patient's body could recognize as foreign material. The Alloderm at the time of implantation is rehydrated then placed in whatever position either volume or tissue reinforcement is desired. To understand what happens, think of the wood lattice that one would place for vines to grow up a wall. The same thing happens with... more

Daniel Shapiro, MD

Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Alloderm in breast reconstruction

Alloderm is a human-derived biological tissue. It is chemically treated and is devoid of cells leaving behind a framework of collagen protein, an acellular dermal matrix or ADM. It is safe and has changed the way many plastic surgeons do breast reconstruction with implants. I have used it extensively over the past 5 years and it has allowed me to achieve more natural breast shapes from the very start. It has also allowed me to use breast reconstruction with... more

Stephen Delia, M.D.

Boston Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Alloderm breast reconstruction

Alloderm is human-derived acellular dermis. It is processed by a company called LIfeCell. There are many other products like Alloderm, but I believe Alloderm has been used most freqeuntly in breast reconstruction. Alloderm is used in breast reconstruction after mastectomy for several reasons: 1) It helps provide coverage of the tissue expander or implant (muscle on top and Alloderm along the inferior and lateral aspect); 2) Allows the surgeon to fill the implant with... more

Peter Ashjian, MD

Bakersfield Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Alloderm used occasionally in rhinoplasty, reconstruction and cleft repair

Alloderm is acellular dermis. There is also a new competing product introduced called FlexHD and BellaDerm that I plan to trial in the near future. As the other plastic surgeons had mentioned it has been widely used in abdominal surgery and breast reconstruction. Facial plastic surgeons use this product occasionally to smooth nasal contour or build up the nasal bridge in revision rhinoplasty. Also in reconstruction, acellular dermis can be used to cover implant materials or to provide... more

Stephen Weber, MD

Lone Tree Facial Plastic Surgeon

Cadaver skin used for padding

Alloderm is cadaver skin used for padding or filling in breast reconstruction mainly. Years ago it was used more for filling lips. It can be helpful at times when patients are left with thin tissues after mastectomy, but is not always adequate if skin cover is too thin. Best Regards.

John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon

Alloderm in Breast Reconstruction

Alloderm is a tissue matrix derived from human skin. The skin used to create Alloderm is treated to remove all skin cells leaving just the collagen matrix. Over time, your body replaces the matrix with it's own tissues and this process can be seen to begin as early as the first few weeks. In breast reconstruction, it is used to cover the lower 1/2 to 1/3 of the tissue expander or implant in a breast reconstruction. The upper portion of the implant is placed under the pectoralis... more

David Bogue, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Alloderm has helped revolutionize breast reconstruction with implants

Alloderm is a a tissue substitute with many uses, including breast reconstruction after mastectomy. It is made from human donor skin and can form a structural brace improving the shape and contour of a reconstructed breast. It can also be used in immediate breast reconstruction with implants, eliminating the need for the placement of an expander, multiple office visits, and a second operation. FlexHD has similar properties and can be very beneficial in optimizing breast reconstruction. more

Michael H. Rosenberg, MD

White Plains Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Alloderm

AlloDerm is a brand name. This is an cellular dermal matrix where the host cells could grow through and incorporate the product in the host's body. This product has become very popular because it provides a great advantage in prosthetic breast reconstruction. One can create a sling under the prosthesis and produce a much more natural breast shape. I use it few time every week. This product is marketed under several other name even though they are different in the way they are processed, most... more

Farhad Rafizadeh, MD

Morristown Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Alloderm and Breast Reconstruction

Alloderm is human derived tissue that has been processed to remove all cells. This leaves a matrix for your cells to replace the tissue over time. It is very useful in breast reconstruction because it allows the surgeon to create a larger pocket for the expander to be placed. I use it with nearly every immediate breast reconstruction with expanders. It decreases overall pain, number of follow up visits, and typically gives a better result.

Michael Baroody, MD

Danbury Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Alloderm and use in breast surgery

Lifecell produces 2 main products - ALLODERM and STRATTICE. Alloderm is made from human skin while Strattice comes from pig skin. In both all the cells are removed from the skin leaving behind the collagen framework only. When implanted, it allows in growth of the patient's cells and blood vessels which then treat it as their own tissue. The use of either Alloderm or Strattice in breast reconstructive surgery now allows plastic surgeons to built the breast at the time of the mastectomy, by... more