The doctors have restored the breast of the 23-year-old patient, having transplanted pig skin. Jade Ryan survived breast cancer, which caused a series of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and eventually the surgery aimed at removing her left breast.
Most often, doctors perform breast restoration using implants, as well as skin and fat tissue, taken from the abdomen, buttocks, and back. Despite the effectiveness of traditional methods, the patients are often dissatisfied with the result – the new breast is very different from their own.
In addition, the use of implants requires tissue and skin to fix and conceal the implants. But the skin was removed with mastectomy, and it was decided upon transplanting pig skin that would be able to act like the internal bra.
This transplanting was called “Strattice graft”. For it to be conducted, the scientists must first of all remove animal cells from the pig skin to avoid rejection. Secondly, the lower part of the pectoral muscle is separated from the ribs, and the pig skin (which looks like thick rice-paper) is attached to the bottom of the muscle. The next step is inserting the implant and stretching the muscle and the pigskin to completely cover the implant.
Source of the image: Photl.
