I have a couple of ballet dancer friends who are currently recovering from an ACL injury. The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injury is most common among athletes and dancers. The ACL may be damaged in varying degrees and in the worst cases, the injured individual must undergo operation if he wants to return to his/her previous level of competence.

The ACL reconstruction surgery is the best treatment to an injured ACL. The treatment, however, does not stop there. After the surgery, the patient will undergo physiotherapy rehabilitation. The therapy has four phases until the injured individual regains the control of motion and has strengthened the other muscles to aid the newly recovered ligament.

After a series of tests and upon the recommendation of the doctor, the injured athletes can go back to playing and dancers can go back to performing on stage.

Although there are millions of people undergoing breast augmentation (popularly known as breast enlargement), there are equally millions of people too who undergo breast reduction. Since weight loss nowadays is a fad, lots of women suffer what we call “aesthetically repulsive” saggy breasts. If you lose weight due to the strenuous exercise you’ve been working on for months now, the fats that were stored inside your mammary glands was burned too in the process and you can now say hello to saggy breasts. But due to the technological advancements made by our good doctors, you can have it reduced to get rid of that saggy look. The difference between breast augmentation and reduction is pretty simple: in augmentation, the put either silicon or fats in your breasts to make it look bigger. In reduction, they only work with the skin, leaving the glands intact and untouched.

Photo taken from http://www.answers.com

Infection can occur many months after the surgery. If detected early, treat with wide-spectrum antibiotics until culture results return. Consider daily antimicrobial irrigation with the implant in situ. In most cases, however, the prosthesis must be removed. Placement of another implant can be considered after 6-9 months, or consider the use of autogenous tissue augmentation.

Implant extrusion usually occurs through the skin at the dome or near the membranous septum. The nose can be corrected even without removing the implant if implant has not violated the mucosal lining or skin. One option is to place a protective layer of septal cartilage or auricular cartilage between the skin and the implant. Sterility has breeched if the implant has exposed itself. In this case the implant has to be removed, and 6-9 months have to pass before reinserting another alloplastic implant.

Plastic surgery is especially popular among teenagers. This is why the American Association for Plastic Surgeons have made an announcement that they will consider prohibiting teens from undergoing aesthetic plastic surge for vanity purposes. If it is restorative then there should be no problem, however, if it involves reconstruction of any kind, it will be not allowed. This is because teenagers are still developing bodies by nature. If you alter a feature or two at such a young age, then it is very likely that the structure will no longer be proportional to that when he or she reaches the age of twenty. The facial components are especially sensitive to change. It must be noted that people who undergo these changes will have to experience a repeat performance as the facial features readjust with age. The obsession with plastic surgery is greatly frowned upon by the association.

Television series about medical practice are the rave these days. Everybody seems interested in the lives and works of doctors and medical practitioners. Nip/Tuck is a Television series set in a South Florida Plastic Surgery Center.

The series Nip/Tuck based on Plastic Surgeons Sean McNamara and Christian Troy is said to have influenced the increase of the number of plastic surgery procedures in the US.

The presentation of the field of medicine and interaction between patients and doctors may be influenced by real-life real life occurrences or be totally fictional but it is undeniable that these series have captured the interest of many from across the globe.

To read about a medical professional’s views on the depiction of plastic surgery by nip/tuck, visit:

http://www.nipandtuc.com/under-the-knife.cfm.

A certain Dr. Stevens of the Marina Plastic Surgery reviews each episode of the series and clarifies which are scientifically feasible as based on his years of practice in the Plastic Surgery industry.

Blepharoplasty is a type of plastic surgery that concerns the eyelids. It can be both for practical purposes such as, if the person has droopy eyelids (something natural), and he/she is having problems with seeing (i.e. peripheral vision if the droop starts at the tip of the eyes), then that person can undergo blepharoplasty to lessen adversities. However, some also go for this type of surgery for cosmetic purposes. If he/she would like to have chinky eyes, then the surgeon could reshape the eyes to look chinky.

For Asians however, there is a different procedure. Since most Asians do not have a crease on their upper eyelid, some doctors can make an artificial crease, depending on the request of the patient.

Photo taken from http://www.greatcosmeticsurgery.com

4 key steps in the mechanism of action of Botox:

1. Toxin is bound to specific receptors on the presynaptic cell surface. This is mediated by the half of the heavy chain of the C-terminal (approx 30 minutes).

2. Internalization. This is an endocystic process that is energy-dependent receptor-mediated. The nerve cell’s plasma membrane invaginates around the toxin-receptor complex to form a vesicle inside the nerve terminal that contains toxin.

3. Translocation. The disulfide bond is cleaved, after internalization, releasing the 50-kDa light chain of the toxin molecule across the endocytic vesicle’s endosomal membrane into the the nerve terminal’s cytoplasm.

4. Blocking. The 50-kDa light chain of serotypes A and E inhibit acetylcholine release by cleaving a cytoplasmic protein (SNAP-25) required for the docking of acetylcholine vesicles on the inner side of the nerve terminal plasma membrane. Botulinum toxin type D is specific for VAMP/synaptobrevin. Botulinum toxin types B and F also affect the VAMP/synaptobrevin protein. These actions impede the release of acetylcholine into the synaptic cleft.

Rhinoplasty is a cosmetic surgical procedure performed to improve the appearance of a person’s nose. A study conducted by Glasgold group about rhinoplasty showed that there is positive psychological change following cosmetic rhinoplasty. The results indicated that moderate improvements in self esteem and social relationships are greatly enhanced for all patients. Significant changes where reflected among the younger age group, indicating that in the stage of emotional and social maturation, an established positive physical self image is necessary. On the other hand, the changes which reflected in a lesser degree among the older age group still suggest that the role of physical appearance is important throughout life. Sufficed to say, majority of the patients are satisfied on the results.

Plastic surgeons are criticising the Department of Health over plans to allow some private clinics to use lasers for cosmetic purposes without having to register first with the Healthcare Commission. Laser therapy is used on lines, wrinkles, scars and damaged skin to smooth its appearance.

At present, there are 850 private sector and voluntary clinics registered with the Healthcare Commission that provide purely cosmetic laser.

The procedure involving sex change remains to be one of the most controversial not to mention most debated issue up to date not only by moralists against liberals but also medical practitioners. Before a patient could undergo a sex change, the law requires him or her to submit him or herself under therapy. This is where the shrink evaluates if the person’s condition is indeed fit enough to undergo such a drastic change. This is done to prevent any regret on the part of the patient, after all the last thing he or she needs is to realize he or she wants to recover her or his former sexuality back, which when operated on is next to impossible to get back.