The old capital of the Eastern Roman Empire Byzantium, later called Constantinople, now Istanbul, has always been one of the major European transshipment point of Eastern and Western science. Hagia Sophia, the Church of Holy Wisdom, served as a mosque since the Conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans, is still representing this old cultural tradition until today.
I recently had the opportunity to convince myself that the old metropolis on the Bosphorus even today is still a leading transshipment point of Eastern and Western science: Experts from Europe, Asia and the US met in Istanbul in order to exchange ideas and opinions about the autologous stem cells in the Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery at the 1st International Cell Assisted Surgery Congress (ICAS).
As readers of my blog may already know that there’s hardly any medical field that grows as fast as the cosmetic surgery. This has particularly to do with the fact that experts of all medical departments research and work in cosmetic surgery.
When I became aware of the potential of the stem cells contained in the autologous fat in 2004, I already anticipated that aesthetic therapies with autologous stem cells would revolutionize the cosmetic surgery and make scalpel, general anesthesia, and silicone superfluous in many cases. This is not a surprise, because the results of aesthetic stem cell therapies provide convincing evidence due to its perfect naturalness without scars and implanted foreign bodies!
The time had come in the beginning of 2007, when I was able to offer stem cell breast augmentation along with a number of other aesthetic treatments with stem cell-enriched autologous fat, including the stem cell facelift as the first physician outside Japan to patients from at home and abroad. Since then we have helped numerous patients from all around the world to make their wish come true to gain larger breasts, harmonious body contours, and a more youthful face here in Vienna.
Meanwhile, also other medical centers make first attempts with aesthetic stem cell therapies and reported their experiences in Istanbul. In the program there were presentations by top-class international researchers to share their latest findings about the adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) and their application within the scope of aesthetic therapies.
I used the opportunity of the conference to exchange experiences with internationally renowned experts about the therapeutic potential of stem cells taken from autologous fat, for instance, with Japan´s researcher Prof. Dr. Yoshimura from Tokyo, who I already met in Tokyo in September 2007 in order to exchange information. By the way, Prof. Yoshimura is carrying a radiation dosimeter in his jacket at all times since the Fukushima disaster.
Furthermore, I was able to talk with the doyen Prof. Dr. Illouz from France. He was one of the first physicians who performed liposuction in the seventies and had already successfully augmented breasts in 1987 with autologous fat. Dr. Berman, who is working in the U.S. with autologous stem cells since 2010, told me about his experiences and their future applicabilty from his point of view.
All conference members agreed that stem cell enrichment substantially improves the long-term sustainability of tissue implanted in autologous fat transfers. This proves that stem cell-enriched autologous fat is a safe and durable bio-implant that is ideal for the natural, scar free breast augmentation and body contouring under local anesthesia. The performance of liposuction for fat extraction and the injection of stem cell-enriched autologous fat into the breast under gentle local anesthesia simplify the aftercare and offer a higher level of patient’s security than a general anesthesia!
Besides the application for stem cell breast augmentation, the stem cells harvested from autologous fat depots are forming a basis for a number of additional future-oriented aesthetic treatments. Thus, we use stem cell-enriched autologous fat for sustainable body shaping, e.g. buttocks augmentation or correction of tissue defects and dents that possibly come from accidents or elsewhere performed liposuctions. The autologous stem cells regenerative impact also unfolds with skin rejuvenation and stem cell facelifts.
Continuing education at conventions and in courses is essential for cosmetic surgeons of all medical fields, because there is no professional training that is able to adequately prepare physicians for future treatment methods! I wonder which city is going to be the next host after Istanbul for the knowledge exchange between Asia, the United States, and Europe about autologous stem cells.
DDr. Heinrich, MD