| Platelet Healing Gel: Speed recovery, reduce bruising, minimize swelling and reduce discomfort following facial cosmetic surgery
Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS is one of the pioneers in using Platelet Healing Gel to help you get back to your life more quickly following surgery. Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS has used platelet healing gel since 2000 and, each year, he uses platelet healing gel in over 500 patients.
With this extensive ongoing clinical experience, Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS remains a leader in plastic surgery healing advances, lecturing throughout the country at national plastic surgery meetings on methods that speed recovery, reduce bruising, minimize swelling and reduce discomfort following facial cosmetic surgery by up to 40%.
Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS has been a consultant to numerous major corporations advising them on the applications of platelet healing gel in plastic surgery and other surgical disciplines.
Plastic Surgery Advances - a simple, effective, and safe preparation of Autologous Platelet Healing Gel aids in the healing of patients undergoing facial plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures. The newest and most exciting process used in cosmetic surgery involves the use of an autologous platelet gel.
It may be used to increase the rate of healing and eliminate certain potential complications during plastic surgery. Many techniques have been described in an attempt to achieve better, safer, and quicker results following cosmetic surgery. This process is changing the way many plastic surgical procedures are performed.
What is Autologous Platelet Healing Gel?
Autologous Platelet Healing Gel is made from a natural component of the patient's own blood that is used to aid in the quicker recovery following certain cosmetic procedures.
Where does it come from?
It is derived from your own blood. The preparation adds no extra time or risk to you procedure.
How is it made?
Prior to starting the surgery, approximately one ounce of blood is taken from the patient. This small blood volume is then placed into a tube and spun in a centrifuge (a small device that spins very quickly). This process automatically separates the blood into several different components, one of which we refer to as the "buffy coat" or platelet rich plasma. It takes about 15 minutes.
What is in the Platelet rich plasma?
The main components of this solution are platelets. Platelets are tiny cells that are partially responsible for blood clotting (stops bleeding), and are critical to healing. The normal concentration of platelets is from 140,000 to 400,000 per cubic mm. During this process, each cubic mm of solution contains 1.5 to 2 million platelets (very concentrated).
What is done with the Platelet Gel?
It is used at the end of a procedure by mixing it with another component and spraying it under the skin where it reduces bruising, swelling and speeds healing.
What does it do?
Because it is so concentrated, it acts as a wound sealant (tissue glue). This eliminates the need for dressings and drains, and also reduces the incidence of hematomas (blood collections) and seromas (fluid collections). It also reduces bruising and swelling. In addition, it promotes more rapid healing by secreting healing and growth factors which enhance recovery.
How is this process different from others?
Many surgeons use other similar processes.
Fibrin glue (which is made by several companies) is a product that uses pooled blood donors (blood from many individuals) and produces a product that may be used in a similar manner. There are two major disadvantages to this product. The first is the risk for viral transmission such as hepatitis B/C. The second is that many of the growth factors are depleted from this substance. While the "stickiness" of this product is good, it does not contain some of the other "healing factors," and may actually delay healing.
Another company produces an autologous platelet gel but uses a different process. This process involves taking a unit of blood (almost one pint!), and extracting the platelet rich plasma from it. The remaining blood is then transfused back into the patient. This requires experts to use the special equipment (the same experts who are required during coronary bypass surgery). It also requires a much larger volume of blood, and may cause fluid shifts and complications during the operation.
The advantage to the newest process that Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS helped develop is that it requires very little of the patient's own blood, is simple to perform, is safe from the risk of disease transmission, and contains many healing factors as well as "tissue glue" capabilities.
How long has platelet healing gel been used?
Since about 1997.
Who uses platelet healing gels?
Many surgeons from many different specialties including neurosurgeons, cardiovascular surgeons, oral surgeons, orthopedic surgeons and many others. The process by which it is now produced allows plastic surgery patients to derive the same benefits. Platelet healing gel use has skyrocketed over the past few years due to its dramatic effects in aiding healing. |
