Has anyone had micro fat grafting?

Wisconsinrandi..not sure what you are apologizing for,you seem fine to me! Kitchenwitch,where are you located? I am in central NY but knew I would have to go to the city to get an expereinced surgeon..I just talked to Dr. Ahn's office and they are going to set up a phone consult for me.They said out of network insurance is not a problem,so I will keep my fingers crossed that my insurance company will work with her.I had all ready talked to a super nice surgeon Dr. Julie Vasile about flap surgery,but this is so much less invasive.It would be a dream come true if it all works out.I will be sure and post after my phone consult.

Great question about buying a used Brava system, panda... I was wondering that myself.

Wisconsin Randi, I didn't think you said anything rude at all either!

BTW, the person I spoke with at Dr. Khouri's office said he works with a breast surgeon, Dr. Derhergopian, and she said that if I have Dr. Derhergopian do the mastectomy, Dr. Khouri can go ahead and do the first phase of micro-fat-grafting at the same time! That DEFINITELY appeals to me more than having a mx here then having to wait and heal before even starting the micro-fat-grafting procedure.

One thing I'm still not clear about even after reading this thread: How many micro-fat procedures, and how long of a timeframe, does it take to get to an average B cup? I know it will vary from person to person, but for those of you who have done this, am I looking at a matter of weeks, months, a year??

Thank you again to everyone who is contributing to this amazing thread!!

Kitchenwitch - Definitely see your point - don't have that option where I live, so I will have all of the extra costs, but it will be worth it.  I've had a slight set back, still have some fluid in the breast pockets, so I need to have my surgeon remove it...hopefully it will resolve quickly, then I can start the Brava process.  So, my surgery is on hold temporarily. 

 http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Cytoris-PureGraft-System-bw-2252723998.html?x=0&.v=1

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CYTX - News) has received European (CE Mark) approval for the PureGraft^TM 250/PURE System for autologous fat grafting procedures, allowing Cytori to immediately commercialize the PureGraft^TM product line to physicians in Europe. PureGraft^TM will be sold as both a standalone product and as a complement to Cytori's Celution® 800/CRS System in Europe.

The PureGraft^TM System is an optimized tissue processing technology that is positioned at the forefront of the emerging fat grafting trend in the cosmetic and reconstructive surgery market. PureGraft^TM replaces current non-standardized methods of graft preparation. Used independently, PureGraft^TM rapidly and reliably produces optimal graft tissue for use in autologous fat grafting procedures. In combination with the Celution® 800/CRS, PureGraft^TM lowers processing times and increases processing volumes, improving the utility and efficiency of Cytori's core product for soft tissue applications.

"The addition of PureGraft^TM to our product portfolio allows us to offer a broad spectrum of autologous fat grafting technologies in Europe. In addition to Celution® System, which enables cell-enriched fat grafting procedures, PureGraft^TM fulfills the need for high quality, sterile tissue for fat grafting procedures, including body contouring," said Eric Daniels, M.D., Cytori's Managing Director in Europe and the Middle East.

Cytori will immediately begin commercializing PureGraft^TM in Europe, through a combination of direct sales and distributors. In addition to the 27 countries of the EU, the CE Mark is followed by eight other countries and facilitates additional registrations around the world.

The PureGraft^TM System sets a new standard for fat graft processing with its membrane-based tissue filtration combined with speed, simplicity, safety and precision. The PureGraft^TM technology takes only 15 minutes to purify a fat graft ranging from 50 to 250 mL, removing excess and unwanted fluid, lipid, blood cells and debris in a controllable manner. The consumable-based system, used within the sterile field, "dialyzes" off everything but the purified fat tissue without centrifugation or other methods. The ease of use and simplicity of this innovative system sets it apart from other traditional fat grafting methods.

The PureGraft^TM 250/PURE System received 510(k) marketing clearance for aesthetic body contouring from the U.S. FDA in January of this year. The product was formally launched at the meeting of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons in April 2010. In addition, Cytori received a Canadian medical device license for PureGraft^TM in March 2010.

For more information, visit http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=169croqvk/**http%3A/cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT%3Fid=smartlink%26url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.puregraft.com%26esheet=6377704%26lan=en-US%26anchor=www.puregraft.com%26index=1%26md5=305628161319ced02eaca0e3c0373177.

About Cytori

Cytori is a leader in providing patients and physicians around the world with medical technologies that harness the potential of adult regenerative cells from adipose tissue. The Celution^® System family of medical devices and instruments is being sold into the European and Asian cosmetic and reconstructive surgery markets but is not yet available in the United States. Our StemSource^® product line is sold globally for cell banking and research applications. http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=1686lrfko/**http%3A/cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT%3Fid=smartlink%26url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.cytori.com%252F%26esheet=6377704%26lan=en-US%26anchor=www.cytori.com%26index=2%26md5=65f2dde5e60a46e26987c4ec1c595e6f

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This communication includes forward-looking statements regarding events, trends and business prospects, which may affect our future operating results and financial position. Such statements, including, but not limited to, those regarding the potential market for PureGraft^TM in Europe, are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties include the challenges inherent in convincing physicians and patients to adopt the new technology, creating and implementing a successful marketing and sales strategy, as well as our history of operating losses, regulatory uncertainties, dependence on third party performance, and other risks and uncertainties described under the "Risk Factors" in Cytori's Securities and Exchange Filings, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008. Cytori assumes no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect events, trends or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Contact:

Cytori Therapeutics
Tom Baker
tbaker@cytori.com
858.875.5258

If it's OK, I'd like to chime in that I believe you only get "BRAVA coaching" if you buy directly from them. BUT if you are Dr. Khouri's patient, it's about 1/3 of what you would pay if you purchased it from them for growth from the domes alone. You have no idea how invaluable that coaching is until you need it. And I drove that poor woman/saint nuts with all  my questions.

I've mentioned before that I first found this forum a while back (long before I'd heard of this procedure) when my sister-in-law (husband's sister) was first Dx'd. First time she had a lumpectomy, 4 years 11 months later it returned and she ended up having that breast removed (had reconstruction w/an implant). But what drew me here is my future fear for my daughter - all four of my father-in-law's sisters had breast cancer. They have all since passed away. We know that for two of them it was the BC, but we're uncertain of the other two. 

My daughter will be 20 this month. She's 5'7" and about 115 lbs. Yet she grew from a 32AA to a 32D in under a year when she got her first period at 16-1/2. No one on either side of the family is bigger than an A cup, and I was only an AAA. I worry what her estrogen levels are, and I've had her ask her gyn to do BRCA testing (she thinks it's unnecessary and will only serve to worry my daughter...????).

Anyway, I just wanted to explain why I still come back to this site. But I come to this particular forum while at the site because of the obvious interest in anyone who has gone to Dr. Khouri. When I began my process in Jan (surgery in April), I couldn't find another soul on the whole net.  I actually just finished my 16 weeks of post-op BRAVA wear on Aug 6, so now comes the wait of seeing how much was residual BRAVA swelling and how much is permanent. I'm hoping that at least everything that was filled in the lumpectomy deficit will remain - we'll see.

I am going to start a spin-off of my current forum dedicated to discussions only related to this procedure. (For the past six years I've been running a forum for flat-chested women (who never developed breasts - NOT small-breasted) women.) But there's such an overlap of women using Dr. Khouri (or other surgeons providing this procedure) - reconstruction from mastectomy, lumpectomy, pure augmentation, those with birth defects/deformities (e.g., Poland Syndrome), pectus deformities, etc. Yet there are so few of us to discuss this. So to limit it to such a small group of women seems counter productive.

(For a very brief time I considered implants (tho they wouldn't hide the lumpectomy defect) and joined an implant forum. There are literally tens of thousands of women on that forum. Months of scouring the www and I only found four (outside of here)! )

If when I do get the separate forum up and running, and any of you would like to read/partcipate/etc., I would love that. I kind of feel like I'm a "tween" - not pure reconstruction, yet not pure augmentation lilke the four ladies I've been speaking with. Yet there are many common denominators during this process, mostly related to the actual BRAVA use. As you all know from sharing BC experiences here, relating particular experiences with others is invaluable. At least it is for me!

Well, I do want to thank you for the hospitality I've been shown during my handful of posts. It's meant a lot.

Maria,

How has your fat grafting held up?  I have an indentatation that I want to have "filled" and your expanation of the procedure was great, so I am eager to know how happy you are with it now that several months has passed.

Thanks!

Lee

pandazankar, I just found a pretty detailed paper by Dr. Khouri at a sight called "Aesthetic Trends and Technologies". It answers your question about why not have tissue expanders instead of using BRAVA.

The paper is here: http://www.aesthetictrends.com/monthly_updates/Summer2010/Summer2010PlasticSurgeryBreastFINAL.pdf

(Most insurance does cover the procedure(s), just not the device.)

*Edited to add: 

In addition to the surgery to place expanders being all around far more invasive, remember that (unless I'm incorrect on this) most ladies will have their pectoral muscles detached at this point. That was a HUGE part of me not deciding on implants (tho they wouldn't have hidden my defect well at all because of its location). I weight train and did not want to trade bench pressing for breasts!

Welcome sheridangirl!

It can be hard to get exact answers to specific situations because there still are not a lot of us.  I have had very good retention after over 1 1/2 yrs. after my last grafting.  It does work!  If Dr. K. says he can do it, I believe he will do it and do it well.  

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Dx IDCC 11/08  L mast. Dec. 08; stage 2A grade 1; nodes removed 1+/19-; HER2-; ER+PR+; estrogen reducing diet instead of chemo or Tamoxifen; fat grafting reconstruction with Dr. Khouri  6/08; 8/08; 10/08 and 1/09  clear MRI 4/10

I don't see any reason to not be able to share resources such as the Brava bra, other than they are measured/made to fit your body. You take 3 measurements that go out on your order and they manufacture the initial domes to fit you. Once you expand, they recommend obtaining larger domes as well.

Called Brava co. They state you can not re-use their device due to law that restricts use of medical devices. Now we know.

The Brava Bra is a medical device. They are currently in the process of obtaining FDA approval/Medical approval.They are correct in that medical devices that touch tissue, which they do, can not be re-sold by them. Like you said, that doesn't stop people and you've seen them on Craigs list and Ebay. I'd be careful as the device does have to be measured and fit correctedly in order for it to work properly. If you're going to go through the process of lipid injections post Brava bra use, why would you not want to do it correctly as instructed by your Dr.

What I was trying to say is.....if there is a law which restricts the use because the Brava is a medical device, we need to know more about it so we maybe can use this information to appeal to our insurance.I don't think they can claim it is a medical device covered by law if it does not have FDA approval.I agree that buying a used device might not be the best idea.I do believe the doctors sell the Brava for much less than the website.The good thing for those of us that will be doing unilateral, we will get two domes,so will have a back up! My appointment with Dr. Ahn is September 21,two of my best friends are going with me. If any of you familiar with the city can recommend a good place for lunch either near Grand Central or Dr.Ahn's office(150 East 77th) let me know! Kitchenwitch..have you read the testimonials on Dr.Ahn's site?

I have a unilateral and no, you do not get a back up. You measure according to their instructions, send in the measurements and they send the appropriate sized dome (1 not 2). They are marked L and R. You may also want to buy the step up size as your breast size grows. They recommend this as the tissue swells rather rapidly in response to the suction, in a short period of time (ie 3-5 weeks.) The Dr will explain this. Also, the Dr does not charge less then the website. My husband is a Dr and he ordered mine off the website. Drs can't afford to sale these devices for less than what they pay. I have heard different prices from various corners of the states, so that might be an issue as to what they charge in relation to where you live. This is typical of the medical field, as it is more expensive to do business in some cities vs others.

Just a few posts up, Wisconsinrandi says she thinks she got her brava for 1/2 off by buying it from Dr. Khouri rather than on the website,that was why I said doctors sell them for less.The price I was quoted by Dr.Khouri was $570.I will have to look at the website again,I did not notice that you only bought one dome.I understand now, Brava is not allowed to sell them used,but someone who has purchased one can.I hope they get the approval soon.

Hi Alexandra:  You're right. Dr. Khouri developed the system and because of this, has the luxury to offer them at whatever price he wants. My husband paid the Dr. rate which is about what you got them for. The price is the same for unilateral or bilateral domes. I also ordered the next size dome as I will most likely require 2 liposuction/lipid injection surgeries. I'm game and I'm quite excited to see how this works. I find it very interesting. I'm also glad that there are options out there for women such as this.