WOMEN could be having boob jobs in their lunch breaks as early as next year, according to a scientific journal.
A fast-track breast enlargement process is to be rolled out by a Californian biotech company and could be introduced across Europe by next year, the Chemistry and Industry magazine says.
The procedure, called Celution, takes just over an hour and involves injecting a “super-charged” fat mixture into breast tissue.
Fat is taken from a patient’s buttocks or stomach using minor liposuction under local anaesthetic.
The useful stem cells are separated out and an hour later a dose of stem and regenerative cells is packaged into a cartridge ready for injection.
It costs a few thousand dollars and the breasts enlarge over about six months, according to the program’s creator Cytori Therapeutics.
Cytori Therapeutics head of research and development Kai Pinkernel said the company’s initial focus will be on reconstructive surgery in breast cancer patients.
“The super-charged fat graft survives really well and fills in the volume defect left by partial mastectomy,” Pinkernel said.
It is still unclear how the defects are repaired and clinical trials are currently under way.
The process has been approved in Germany, which means it is legal across the EU, the Chemistry and Industry magazine reported.
Clinicians will apparently have to wait until the trials end early in 2008 before they can recommend the procedure to patients.
Article from: AAP