Oceanside CA— Tri-City Medical Center plastic surgeon Dr. Anshu Gupta was the first in San Diego County to perform a new, minimally invasive procedure for women who choose reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy. The needle-free procedure on a patient uses the AirXpanders AeroForm® Tissue Expander System which allows the patient to gradually expand their breast tissue with self-administered carbon dioxide filler from the comfort of their home and avoid the weekly doctors’ visits and discomfort of traditional saline-filled expanders.
Dr. Gupta used the expander in two surgeries on Nov. 15, placing it in his patients’ chests right after their mastectomies. His first patient had undergone a double mastectomy for stage III cancer. During her first post-operative visit two weeks later, Dr. Gupta showed her how to use the Aeroform® Tissue Expander comfortably from home.
Instead of coming in to the doctor’s office for subsequent weekly treatments, patients take the tissue expander system home and self-administer the pain-free expansion rather than routinely driving to the hospital for uncomfortable saline solution injections. They are able to expand their tissue using a wireless handheld dosage controller which administers small amounts of carbon dioxide, gradually stretching the tissue to prepare for a breast implant. With the push of a button, it takes seconds for the programmed amount of carbon dioxide to dispense, making it easy for women to continue with their daily activities while preparing for reconstruction.
“The AeroForm® Tissue Expander System allows for tissue expansion in less than half the time it takes using saline expansion systems. It not only reduces the time needed pre-implant, but it also helps women get back to their lives faster after breast cancer,” says Dr. Gupta.
Tri-City Medical Center chose to offer the AeroForm® patient-controlled tissue expander to its patients preparing for a breast reconstruction because it reduces the pain and risk of infection, minimizes doctor’s appointments and speeds the recovery process which allows patients to get back to their lives quickly.
“From our utilization of advanced ultrasound breast cancer screening technology, which is also a first in San Diego County, to offering a one-day, single-dose intraoperative radiation therapy or IORT option, to now using a patient-controlled tissue expander for safer and speedier tissue expansion; we are continually bringing our breast cancer patients the very best in medical technology to allow them a better quality of life,” says Steve Dietlin, CEO of Tri-City Medical Center. “We are proud to be on the cutting-edge of breast cancer treatment for all stages of the disease and making a positive impact on women’s health in our community.”
For more information about breast cancer treatment and technologies at Tri-City Medical Center, visit https://www.tricitymed.org/medical-services/cancer/cancer-services/breast-cancer/