Dr. Michael Yaremchuk, Leading Performer of Custom-Designed Facial Implants, Pioneers 'Bespoke Plastic Surgery'

BOSTON, July 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- While our society has come to insist on the customization of items such as cars and clothing, ironically people readily accept the mass-produced generic implants to change something as personal as their facial contours. As a result of technological advances, the era of bespoke plastic surgery, or truly customized plastic surgery, has arrived.

Bespoke facial implants, also known as custom-designed or CT-derived implants, use computer modeling and three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) scans to create the implants. CT images provide data that is transferred to design software to create a customized implant. Using electronic data, a computer-controlled manufacturing system designs a model of the prosthesis, which is then cast into the finished product. Another method constructs an exact physical replica of the skull which is used as a template for the construction of the preliminary implant, which may then be modified further by the surgeon.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), approximately 5.5 million reconstructive procedures were performed in the United States in 2011. Of those procedures, 195,398 of those were maxillofacial surgery, or surgery to correct a wide spectrum of diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. This number demonstrates a 125 percent increase from 2010, demonstrating the growing need for improved and more cost-effective procedures.

Bespoke plastic surgery provides a new level of specificity, predictability and customization for patients. It can significantly reduce surgical time and improve the experience for the patient, and there is less morbidity associated with bespoke plastic surgery because there is no cutting of the bone involved.

"Custom-designed facial implants often appeal to patients with significant asymmetries or irregularities, as well as orthognathic surgery patients. These patients request precise enhancement of certain facial features such as the cheekbones, jawline or chin," said Dr. Yaremchuk. "Patients appreciate the opportunity to see the CT-derived image of their present facial skeleton which determines their present 'look,' as this image gives them better insight into what they might want to enhance. They desire the custom implants for the same reasons that one might choose a bespoke suit as to one 'off the rack.'"

Dr. Michael Yaremchuk, a leading expert on bespoke plastic surgery, can be contacted through The Boston Center located in Boston's Back Bay.

About Dr. Michael Yaremchuk

Dr. Yaremchuk is Chief of Craniofacial Surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital, a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Harvard Medical School and the Program Director for Harvard's Plastic Surgery training program. He is known as an innovator and teacher and uses state-of-the-art techniques and knowledge to care for his patients.

Dr. Yaremchuk received his M.D. from the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and his B.A. degree from Yale College. After completing his plastic surgery training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, he was invited to join the hospital's full-time staff as Associate Director of Plastic Surgery for the Maryland Shock Trauma Institute. While there, he helped redefine the institute's methods of treatment for severe injuries to the face and facial skeleton. He also completed a craniofacial surgery fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he received special training for the surgery of the face and facial skeleton to treat congenital deformities and cosmetic concerns.

Dr. Yaremchuk has authored three textbooks, 40 book chapters, and over 100 scientific articles. He has lectured to his surgical colleagues around the world. His research laboratory focuses on the potential of bioengineered tissues and transplantation to enhance or reconstruct the face and facial skeleton. He has been certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Yaremchuk frequently provides a commentary on plastic surgery topics for a blog at The Huffington Post. You can visit his website at http://www.dryaremchuk.com.

SOURCE Dr. Michael Yaremchuk