I had a fat transfer surgery to the breasts. I used the brava unit for a month before, as advised. All of the fat turned into cysts. I had already had surgeries on my breasts. I had implants, and then removal. I wanted to refill some of the areas where I lost tissue. I will have the cysts removed next week. I would like my doctor to try again, but I don't know if it is worth it.
Answer: What causes fat to turn into cysts? Dear Time3, Thank you for your clinical post. Following the explantation fat grafting the breast can be an excellent procedure. Primary augmentation with fat grafting to the breast can also provide a modest increase in volume and proportion without artificial breast implants. While fat grafting to the breast can be very predictable and safe there are some complications. If the fat does not pick up a blood supply it will not survive and if it does not survive it can form solid fibrotic lumps or there can be some of the oil contained within the fat. Some of the oil contained within the fat can be encased in a thin wall forming a cyst. Cystic degeneration or fibroplastic lumps following fat grafting are one of the complications. Fortunately, cysts and fibrotic lumps can be easily discerned on MRI or mammogram and differentiated between breast cancers, breast cancers by well-trained Canadian radiologists. Cystic degeneration that is symptomatic are concerning and would be addressed with needle aspiration or lumpectomy. Should one entertain a second fat grafting procedure to the breast if the initial one has been unsuccessful? This is a good question, but in general a well-performed fat grafting surgery is usually universally successful in achieving some degree of fat survival. The range of fat survival can be between 30% and 70% and generally a second session is usually preplanned and recommended one year after the first session. At the time of the second session there is more viable fat and hence more blood supply to support additional volume. I’ve been performing fat grafting together with lipo contouring for over 20 years and fat grafting to the buttock, breast and face is very common. I hope this information has been of some assistance and best of luck. For more information, please review the link below. R. Stephen Mulholland, M.D. Certified Plastic Surgeon Yorkville, Toronto
Helpful
Answer: What causes fat to turn into cysts? Dear Time3, Thank you for your clinical post. Following the explantation fat grafting the breast can be an excellent procedure. Primary augmentation with fat grafting to the breast can also provide a modest increase in volume and proportion without artificial breast implants. While fat grafting to the breast can be very predictable and safe there are some complications. If the fat does not pick up a blood supply it will not survive and if it does not survive it can form solid fibrotic lumps or there can be some of the oil contained within the fat. Some of the oil contained within the fat can be encased in a thin wall forming a cyst. Cystic degeneration or fibroplastic lumps following fat grafting are one of the complications. Fortunately, cysts and fibrotic lumps can be easily discerned on MRI or mammogram and differentiated between breast cancers, breast cancers by well-trained Canadian radiologists. Cystic degeneration that is symptomatic are concerning and would be addressed with needle aspiration or lumpectomy. Should one entertain a second fat grafting procedure to the breast if the initial one has been unsuccessful? This is a good question, but in general a well-performed fat grafting surgery is usually universally successful in achieving some degree of fat survival. The range of fat survival can be between 30% and 70% and generally a second session is usually preplanned and recommended one year after the first session. At the time of the second session there is more viable fat and hence more blood supply to support additional volume. I’ve been performing fat grafting together with lipo contouring for over 20 years and fat grafting to the buttock, breast and face is very common. I hope this information has been of some assistance and best of luck. For more information, please review the link below. R. Stephen Mulholland, M.D. Certified Plastic Surgeon Yorkville, Toronto
Helpful