Has anyone had micro fat grafting?

"I'm not certain anyone else here has posted a full reconstruction success story with his method."

WisconsinRandi has posted about her full reconstruction, sharing that her photos are on Dr. Khouri's site. Hers are the top left photo(s). At the conference she and I both attended in October (was great fun meeting her!), I also met the patient whose photos are "Bilateral Mastectomies #3" on that same page. She was a young (early 40's maybe, if not younger) woman who I believe had D or larger cup-size breasts fully reconstructed.

"Also psf has posted about her reconstruction with fat grafting."

PSF!!! Sorry - I didn't mean to forget you! Yes! She is actually in the middle of a few steps to her final results and has posted about it both here and on my forum.

"I have never heard of signing a waiver saying you will not disclose your doctors name... "

I have heard of some surgeons requiring waivers to be signed. Someone had told me that the surgeon I was considering in NY (before I learned that Dr. Khouri had pioneered this procedure) did. The day of my consult, my car's fuel line froze so I had to cancel. My consult w/Dr. Khouri was the next week, so I never ended up rescheduling and don't know if that was actually true or not.

It did prompt me to ask Dr. Khouri at my consult if he minded if I posted my experience as I went along. He obviously did not, lol! In retrospect, I think it would have been a red flag if he had.

NotMyTime2Go ~

I hope you're not assuming that I meant to be mean or spiteful, because I am neither.  My motives are as pure as I stated earlier, "I remain protective of the website and the benefit it brings to us all". I've lost my sister to this beast, so I don't have the energy or desire to be mean.  

This website has helped me through some of the most difficult times of my life.  My reconstruction has been long and arduous, but my PS and I move forward, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel (My nipple reconstruction is scheduled for March!).  We both know about the BRAVA, and have discussed it - along with every other possible reconstructive procedure known to medicine.  My experiences have prompted a medical professional to refer me to talk with another BC patient who's having a difficult reconstruction. 

My interpretation of the posts are that leeinfl is successfully done, psf is not quite done, and I was not clear on wisconsinrandi.  I hope they, and all the women who choose this - or any other method - are ultimately successful and pleased with their results. 

Yes, there is some disagreement on this thread, but not outright disrespect or so much negativity that one would be driven away.  Let's stick around and wait for the success stories. 

Be well,

Maria

Thanks Pandazankar - I just didn't want anyone on here to think for one moment that the fatgraftpatient website is in any way endorsed or sponsored by Dr. Khouri.  It's simply a forum (just like this one...) that allows us to share our experiences and it's unfair to imply anything more  than that.  Those of us who have had wonderful experiences just want to share!  It is so helpful to read what others have gone through, good or bad. 

Just the other day I learned of a lady who does 3D tattooing.  Her name was posted here on BC.org - if we were all so fearful of posting names, I wouldn't have found out about her either!  I plan to visit with her soon.  Her work looks fantastic!  So come on....lighten up!  Let those of us who have had happy experiences post about our good fortune in the hope that others might also reap benefits.  It's taken me 4 surgeries to get to this point - if I can't share it with my fellow BC sisters here, then where?  

So please - I don't think we need to protect this site.  It's working just fine. 

Let me make some clarifications, if I may ~ 

I'm not certain that anyone on this thread - except wisconsinrandi - has had a full, no implant, fat transfer only breast reconstruction, with or without the aid of a BRAVA device.  I see some who had, just like I did, mastectomies, followed by tissue expanders, followed by implants followed by fat transfer revisions; or, some combination of these. 

Also, I don't know of a rule on this site keeping anyone from mentioning their doctors' names if they choose to do so and/or have not signed waivers - and, for the record, I did not sign one. 

The biggest problem I had here was when  Dr. Khouri's staff was posting!  If you read all the way back, this thread started 2/10/10, and by 2/16/10,his staff was posting here.  THAT is what makes it different from the threads dedicated to NOLA and other practices.  Then we had erika54 who was almost certainly planted here.  The downside is that it made anyone else who posted for him sound like an advertisement, and I am not the only one who felt that way. 

All of us on this thread have either had, or want, or are curious about fat grafting, either for revisions or full reconstruction, either by a brand name or any other name.  A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, no?

Be well,

Maria

This isn't you're 'normal' fat grafting procedure. What Dr. Khouri has designed using the Brava system is a revolution in plastic surgery! No, I am not an employee of his, but wish I were... because I want this surgery!

I don't recall agreeing not to mention doctor's names... They do this at the hospital bc support group I attend. If the doctors are honest and good at what they do, what have they got to hide? It's not free speech and it's not supprtive of us bc patients who are looking for honest answers to our mnay questions. I get chastised for mentioning anything to the group which doen't promote the medical establishment. I'd like to start my own group, but where would new bc patients find it? They are reffered by their doctors...

Good morning all~

Thank you, Randi.

I'm all for peace and moving on sharing news and results about our reconstructions. 

Be well,

Maria

Just an FYI - the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has a ton of information on their website about fat grafting.  Here is one specifically about fat grafting to the breast:

 http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Documents/Medical_Profesionals/Health_Policy/guiding_principles/ASPS-Fat-Transfer-Graft-Guiding-Principles.pdf

One thing that stands out in several articles: "Studies indicate that results of fat transfer remain dependent on a surgeon's technique and expertise."

This one goes a little deeper into the role of stem cells that are present in the fat grafts and their potential to further heal/repair...

http://www.psnextra.org/Articles/Future-of-Fat.html

I think we can all agree that the ASPS is a good reference source......

CrunchyPoodleMama - I hope you will soon be able to join us in our advertising jingle.....

Hello Ladies,

Has anybody had complete reconstruction using fat grafts with a Dr. other than Dr. R Khouri?

I see Dr.Coleman and Dr. Del Vecchio on his website.  Just wonder if there is any information to support these Dr.s that are a bit closere.

Pray you are all well?

Hope

Just wanted to post my experience with Dr Khouri. I just had micro fatgrafting at his surgery center in Key Biscayne. (Thanks for the headsup on Palmetto Starfish!).

The entire experience could not have gone better. Like it was said above...if someone takes this as advertisement for Dr K, so be it!! I feel after a solid year of doctors who are just doing their jobs...I am thrilled to sing the praises of a doctor who is so wonderfully passionate about his work. He loves to make women feel beautiful. He is enthusiastic and encouraging and positive. His office is brimming with patients who are so excited to share their experiences. At one point he yelled down the hall.."Julia, show her your resuts after we fixed radiation damage". This patient from another room who was leaving flies into the room, hiking her top up so excited to show how beautiful she was again. She spoke rapid Spanish with Dr Khouri, and I have no idea what they were saying..but they were both laughing and smiling. It was funny, and heartwarming.

I just finished a long year of treatment. I bought the Bravas, wore them a little while...but decided I wasnt in terrible shape with my implants after radiation, and wanted a break from treatment...of any kind! Dr Khouri listened to me. I kept my implants and he grafted all around, smoothing radiation damaged areas and releasing scar tissue.  I had some serious assymetry from the radiation, and he fixed all of that. I am only a week out, so I do not know what will "take". What I do know, is that I had one of the best in the world working together with me. If only all of the doctors loved their work as much as this man...what a different experience this medical system would be!

It has been very quiet here,hope everyone is doing welI.I met with a local plastic surgeon yesterday to discuss his placing tissue expanders when I have my prophylactic mastectomy.Before the surgery I will see a PS in Connecticut who does fat grafting .She does not use the Brava,she prefers tissue expanders.She is affiliated with Dr.Passaretti who I have heard is wonderful.It will be interesting to meet with her and also to hear what the local doctor has to say after his conversation with her.I am a little worried about the tissue expanders, have heard how painful they can be.But I was concerned about using the Brava too.....Any of you who have had expanders,I would love to hear how that went for you.There is a doctor in Boston who uses the Brava,so he is another possibility....it really feels good to know there are a couple of options.

Thank you so much for sharing this with me.Can you tell me what you mean by residual damage and discomfort to the pec muscles?You mean it still hurts? I have been trying to read everything I can find about tissue expanders and it all says that the pec muscle will go back in place if expanders or implants are removed.But you have implants still correct? And Dr.Khouri put fat all around them? If I understood the PS correctly when we talked on the phone,she does one or two graftings and then removes the expanders and does a minimum of two more graftings after they are removed.I am a huge baby about pain....

I have a lot of sensitivity on my old mastectomy side. One PS I saw told me opening the old scar might help,but might not.So the TEs concern me,but they will only be in a short time and no implants,so if this is what I decide to do,I hope there will be no long term effects.Was there a reason you kept your implants and did not have Dr.Khouri do complete recon?I won't know for sure how many graftings until I see her and she said that may change during the course of things.I am not looking forward to the lipo.She did say she prefers abdominal fat.That is another thing I want to ask her about when I see her,I had not heard that before.Even with the stretching,whether with the Brava or TEs and the lipo,I still find the fat grafting much more acceptable to me than the other choices.When will they invent a magic wand that gives us beautiful healthy breasts with no pain or inconvenience??

I will not be getting implants.The tissue expanders will be used to stretch and make new skin,the same as if I was having implants.The difference is fat from my abdomen and thighs will be liposuctioned and put in the breast area instead of implants.The tissue expanders will be removed after one or two graftings.My new breasts will be totally my own fat.Some doctors use the external Brava to stretch,the doctor I will see in Connecticut prefers using the  tissue expanders.I will definitely ask what effect the TEs will have on my muscle.The local PS I saw yesterday seemed to feel that since I would not be getting implants,there would be no problem with the muscle.He mainly does implants,one reason I chose him to place the tissue expanders,he has a lot of experience.I am grateful to you all,this is really helping me add to my list of questions!

Lee, does the transplanted fat soften a bit? I am a month out...bruises finally gone!! But things are a little firm. I love the way things are looking. It's so much better!!