By Keith Veseleny, Editor
Erchonia, the manufacturer of the Zerona laser, has developed the EML hand held low level laser therapy (LLLT) device to assist with pain associated with liposuction and breast augmentation surgery. The device earned FDA clearance after four placebo-controlled, randomized, multi-site trials demonstrated an impressive difference between groups
in degree of pain and swelling. Significant differences in emulsification of fat and ease of fat extraction were also established.
The Zerona laser has already been shown to function as a standalone procedure for fat reduction. Dr. Thomas Barnes, Newport Beach cosmetic surgeon, uses the hand held device as well as the Zerona laser in his practice. "Using the had held device actually makes the lipo easier and the fat I remove looks different - it's more like a liquid. I have used it in thousands of cases - it makes my job easier and it speeds healing, too!" The laser causes a pore to open in the adipose, or fatty, cell. The fat is then released into the interstitial space, and is much easier to extract than the whole cell. This reduces surgical trauma, ecchymoses, and hematomas which facilitate in the patient's recovery.
"We use the hand held laser before every lipo case and immediately after the procedure is done we treat again," says Dr. Barnes. "My patients have less bruising, swelling and discomfort and this results in less downtime and happier patients. Every post op patient gets treated with the hand help laser when they come in. There's no question it makes their post op course better and easier."
Capsular contracture remains a significant risk for breast implant patients. This painful condition occurs when scar tissue forms around the foreign body, in this case - the breast implant. The thickness of the scar tissue and the inevitable occluded vasculature can promote serious breast deformities drastically impacting the quality of the implant, and become quite painful for the patient.
In a clinical study published in The American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery, when the Erchonia EML was used as an adjunct to breast augmentation, patients reported less pain, inflammation, and dependency on pain medication. From this clinical trial, the EML evolved into a means to treat and more importantly prevent capsular contracture and additional clinical studies are on-going.
