European regulations for cosmetic surgery to be introduced

British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons to Help Set Guidelines

London – After years of calling for tighter controls in cosmetic surgery in Britain, top UK surgeons are delighted to provide key input at a new committee in Brussels, so that Europe-wide standards can finally be introduced in this sector. The President of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (baaps.org.uk), the not-for-profit organisation established for the advancement of education and practice of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for public benefit, has been invited to participate in the creation of these cutting-edge regulations.

The market of aesthetic procedures – known generally as cosmetic surgery, though it involves non-surgical treatments – has increased dramatically over the last years, including through the recession. The growing availability of travel, the Web and numerous financial payment facilities also mean that medical tourism in this area has also become a reality.

The CEN – the European Committee for Standardisation – has recently accepted the proposal from the Austrian Standards Institute (ASI) to create a new Project Committee, CEN/TC 403 “Project Committee- Aesthetic surgery services”, the aim of which is to elaborate European standards for aesthetic surgery services.  Other organisations involved include in this project include the Care Quality Commission, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Prompt Gallbladder Removal in Elderly Associated with Increased Survival, Lower Costs

New Research Findings in Journal of the American College of Surgeons Show Patients Not Treated during Initial Hospitalization Required Re-admission within Two Years

Chicago – New research findings published in the May issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons indicate that delaying cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder, in elderly patients with sudden inflammation of the organ often results in increased costs, morbidity and mortality.

Gallstone disease is the most costly digestive disease in the United States, with approximately 20 million people having the disorder.  Annually, gallstone disease leads to more than one million hospitalizations, 700,000 operative procedures, and a cost of $5 billion. Furthermore, the prevalence of gallstones increases with age: 15 percent of men and 24 percent of women will have gallstones by age 70. As well, complications related to gallstones are more common in elderly patients, with the most common being acute cholecystitis, a sudden inflammation of the gallbladder, which can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever.

Between 1996 and 2005, 29,818 Medicare beneficiaries were admitted to acute care facilities for a first episode of acute cholecystitis. Of these patients, 75 percent (n=22,367) underwent cholecystectomy. The inpatient mortality rate was 2.7 percent in patients who did not undergo cholecystectomy, and 2.1 percent in patients who did (p = 0.001).

For the 25 percent of patients (n=7,451) who did not undergo cholecystectomy upon first hospitalization, 38 percent required gallstone related re-admission over the subsequent two years, compared to only four percent in patients who did undergo the surgery (P<0.0001). Twenty-seven percent of patients who did not undergo definitive therapy (gallbladder removal) required subsequent cholecystectomy, often not performed electively, but associated with acute care re-admission. The gallstone-related readmissions were expensive for Medicare, leading to approximately $14,000 in total charges and greater than $7,000 in Medicare payments per readmission.

Additionally, patients who did not undergo cholecystectomy during initial hospitalization were 56 percent more likely to die two years after hospitalization discharge versus those who received immediate treatment (HR 1.56, 95 percent CI 1.47 to 1.65), even after controlling for patient demographics and comorbidities.

Source: American College of Surgeons

If you are interested in having a cholecystectomy abroad please don’t hesitate to contact Sublimis.

Biological Substitute for Dental Implants?

Work at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine Holds Promise for a Biological Substitute for Dental Implants, According to Latest Journal of Dental Research

New York – A technique pioneered in the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory of Dr. Jeremy Mao, the Edward V. Zegarelli Professor of Dental Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, can orchestrate stem cells to migrate to a three-dimensional scaffold infused with growth factor, holding the translational potential to yield an anatomically correct tooth in as soon as nine weeks once implanted.

People who have lost some or all of their adult teeth typically look to dentures, or, more recently, dental implants to improve a toothless appearance that can have a host of unsettling psycho-social ramifications.

Human Molar Scaffolding

An animal-model study has shown that by homing stem cells to a scaffold made of natural materials and integrated in surrounding tissue, there is no need to use harvested stem cell lines, or create an environment outside of the body (e.g., a Petri dish) where the tooth is grown and then implanted once it has matured. The tooth instead can be grown “orthotopically,” or in the socket where the tooth will integrate with surrounding tissue in ways that are impossible with hard metals or other materials.

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Varicose vein study shows radiofrequency ablation causes less post-operative pain

A study to compare two increasingly popular treatments for varicose veins has found that patients who received radiofrequency ablation reported less post-procedural pain than those treated with endovenous laser ablation.

However, both groups reported the same clinical and quality of life improvements at six weeks, according to UK research published in the June issue of the British Journal of Surgery.

“Varicose veins are a very common condition that occurs when the blood flow to the legs is interrupted and collects in the veins” explains principal investigator Professor Alun Davies from Imperial College, London. “It’s estimated that as many as 30 per cent of adults in the UK will suffer from the condition at some point in their lives.”

Vascular surgery experts from the College randomised 131 patients into two groups, with 64 receiving endovenous laser ablation 980nm (EVLA) and 67 receiving radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using VNUS® ClosureFAST™.

All the procedures were carried out under general anaesthetic between July 2008 and July 2009 by one of three surgeons experienced in both techniques. The 89 female and 42 male patients were then asked to fill in diary cards recording pain levels, based on a visual analogue scale from zero to 100, and note any analgesia use.

The patients had an average age of 49 and there were no statistically significant differences in other factors such as their body mass index and the pattern of the disease between the two surgical groups.

“Radiofrequency and endovenous ablation are minimally invasive techniques and their development has revolutionised the treatment of varicose veins” says Professor Davies. “Perceived advantages over traditional surgery include fewer complications, minimal post procedural pain and faster recovery times.

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Plastic Surgery Prices: USA vs South America

If you live in USA and you are considering having a plastic surgery, you might want to compare the cost and services in other countries. Plastic surgery procedures in USA are not cheap; usually prices in South America countries, like Argentina, are about 50% to 70% lower.  You may wonder how it is possible that the prices are so low. This is due to two main factors:

1. The cost of living in Argentina is very low compared to United State. Medicine is no exception, lower surgeons’ charges and lower operating room maintenance fees make plastic surgery procedures in Argentina cheaper than in USA.
2. This, together with a favorable exchange rate used in Argentina (US$ 1 = ARS 3,8) offers you the opportunity to obtain top quality treatments and affordable prices.

Less expensive treatments, doesn’t mean a lower standard of care, Argentinean surgeons are considered amongst the best in the world.

Prices listed below are average for cosmetic procedures  as reported by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) on April 27, 2010. Prices in US dollars.

Top 5 Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Procedures in 2009

According to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), nearly 5.2 million reconstructive plastic surgery procedures were performed last year. Reconstructive plastic surgery, which improves function and appearance to abnormal structures, increased 5 percent in 2009. The top five reconstructive procedures in 2009 were:

* Tumor removal (3.9 million)
* Laceration repair (332,000)
* Scar revision (171,000)
* Hand surgery (110,000)
* Maxillofacial surgery (90,000)

“Reconstructive plastic surgery is an important part of what we do,” said Dr. McGuire. “We know that 70 percent of women eligible for breast reconstruction after cancer are not aware of their reconstructive options. We would like to see this change to the point that we can report this procedure is now among the top five reconstructive procedures.”

Top 5 Cosmetic Plastic Minimally Invasive Procedures in 2009

Cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures increased 1 percent, to nearly 11 million procedures in 2009 according to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Minimally-invasive procedures are up 99 percent since 2000. The top five minimally-invasive procedures in 2009 were:

* Botulinum toxin type A (4.8 million)
* Soft tissue fillers (1.7 million)
* Chemical peel (1.1 million)
* Microdermabrasion (910,000)
* Laser hair removal (893,000)

“Skin is in,” said Dr. McGuire. “Chemical peels and soft tissue fillers like hyaluronic acid are up 9 percent, microdermabrasion is up 8 percent – these are the procedures that patients are opting for despite the economy.”

“It would seem, as innovations in cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures increase, surgery will continue to decrease,” added Dr. McGuire. “However, as the economy rebounds, more patients and Boomers will continue to seek surgical body contouring procedures (liposuction, tummy tuck), eyelid surgery and breast augmentations. In fact, breast augmentations are up 36 percent since 2000. Silicone implants are now used in 50 percent of all breast augmentations.”

Top 5 Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedures in 2009

Although it’s been a sluggish year for plastic surgery due to the economy the long-term outlook is more encouraging. According to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 12.5 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in the United States in 2009.

Cosmetic surgical procedures decreased 9 percent, with more than 1.5 million procedures in 2009. Surgical procedures are down 20 percent since 2000. The top five surgical procedures in 2009 were:

* Breast augmentation (289,000)
* Nose reshaping (256,000)
* Eyelid surgery (203,000)
* Liposuction (198,000)
* Tummy tuck (115,000)

Before and after a breast augmentation surgery

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