AlloDerm after dermal-fat grafts
Saturday, October 4th, 2008Dr.Reed,
My name is Stan. I am a 55 years old and very fit. Approx 10 years I underwent lengthening and widening with dermal grafts. I was 5 7/8 erect and 4 1/2 girth. I am now 7 X 5 3/4 midshaft. As my wife likes girth and I am tired of using the pump. I am considering girth enhancement with alloderm. The dermal seems to have decreased from just under the head to approx midshaft. Can alloderm be used in conjunction with already placed dermal? As I want no more than 3/4 – 1″, to take out the dermal and replace with alloderm would make my girth less than it is now. Also, how many sheets of allo do you typically use and what is the size of a sheet.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Stan,We had had experience with AlloDerm for almost 10 years now and before that we did dermal-fat grafts, and before that transfer of liposuctioned of fat (autologous fat transfer or AFT) . As a phalloplasty surgeon I evolved into the AlloDerm because it seems to be the most predictable performer. Liposuctioned fat transfer can result in uniform or zonal reabsorption and the formation of fibro-fatty nodules or lumps under the skin.Dermal-fat grafts are living and in order for them to survive as soft as one might feel under the skin before surgery, they do need to pick up a sufficient blood supply. Otherwise they will undergo some degree of atrophy which translates into fibrosis, the lowest common denominator of wound healing before necrosis. Fibrous grafts tend to lose of course the original girth as the fat cells die off first, but worse yet they contract and result in shortened penile length.
AlloDerm is a cadaveric product, and has no immediate biological requirements such as early re-vascularization. If your dermal-fat graft in the distal shaft is not bothering you, you could consider Allo-Derm placed over it. If it is truly fibrous, I would remove it, as AlloDerm should rest between a sandwich of healthy well vascularized tissue for a good take.
We use extra-thick AlloDerm but avoid stacking sheets as this can predispose to a wound infection. There is no blood supply whatsoever between the layers, and all it takes is a small amount of skin bacteria which healthy tissue can repress. The thicker a man’s penis is when he sees me, the less impact visually one extra thick layer of AlloDerm has. Think of “a drop in the ocean.” For men who have not had previous girth enhancement, we say about a 3/4″ increase in circumference.
Your circumference of 5 3/4 is OK and you may wish to rest on your laurels. Most likely with AlloDerm you will get up to 6 or more inches. In cosmetic surgery there is an expression, “less is more,” meaning that overdoing things can lead to complications.
Please do see phalloplasty before and after photos and images on our web-site. The phalloplasty cost is also mentioned.
Hope this addresses your questions.
Best wishes,
Harold M. Reed, M.D.305-865-2000