Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
fat made it a more readily available resource than many other body
tissues (Billings and May, 1989). The early uses of fat in reconstructive
surgery were rarely successful, and clinicians struggled with identifying
ways of making fat transplants work for many decades (Billings and
May, 1989). With the discovery and isolation of adipocytes in the
1970s the next two decades saw a rapid increase in the success of fat
transplantation (Billings and May, 1989). The refinement of the
technique of fat transfer and further developments in knowledge of the
growth of fat stem cells since the early 1990s has led to further clinical
and commercial applications, most notably in the cosmetic sector.
In March 2009 it was reported that a small-scale trial of a stem
cell breast augmentation technique was being conducted at the
London Breast Clinic (Simpson, 2009). The same article acknowledges
the potential for cosmetic applications of the same technique,
suggesting that it would cost around six thousand pounds and
possibly be available by the end of the same year (Simpson, 2009).
Two and a half years later, the most cursory search of the Internet
points individuals interested in such treatments to any number of
clinics in Europe, the US and Australia. In some contexts, the stem
cell breast enhancement technique is also referred to as 'natural
breast augmentation'. One study of the cosmetic effects of natural
breast augmentation conducted on 40 women in Japan showed
improved breast volume and no noticeable loss of tissue over time
(Yoshimura et al., 2008). The findings also suggested that the results
indicated that this technique was safe and effective, although longer-
term studies were still required (Yoshimura et al., 2008).
Natural breast augmentation procedures have been in use since the
early 1990s. The website of a clinic in New York, for example,
claims to have treated 35 women with the US-registered trademarked
technique known as LipoStructure
®
(
http://www.lipostructure.com
).
Not technically described as a stem cell driven method, LipoStructure
®
is a particular technique for extracting and reinjecting fat autologously
that was established in the early 1990s (Coleman and Saboeiro, 2007).
The technique is described as being more successful than previous
attempts at fat transfer because of the small amounts of fat placed
into the breast at different locations (Coleman and Saboeiro, 2007).
That is, the success of the technique is thought to be due to the close
