LED Capsular Contracture Protocol

This is part 2 of a 2-part series

Part 1: LED Therapy for Capsular Contracture

Two years ago, Dr. Haiavy and his surgical fellow launched a study of about 50 patients. The study has two treatment arms: one of patients that had developed capsular contracture and wanted conservative treatment; the other of patients who failed conservative treatment or were so contracted and uncomfortable that they didn’t want conservative treatment.

“For them, we did the surgery, a capsulectomy, and exchanged the implant. Then we put them on this therapy,” Dr. Haiavy says.

All patients in the study also took milk thistle for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

LED therapy for capsular contracture requires patient commitment. The protocol Dr. Haiavy uses is for six weeks of 30-minute daily treatments. If patients can’t do that, Dr. Haiavy recommends no less than three treatments a week for six to twelve weeks. Some patients buy the device and use it at home to avoid having to come to the office, he says.

The results have not yet been published, but Dr. Haiavy says outcomes from the treatment are impressive.

“On the conservative side, without surgery and using this modality, we can basically treat the patients to where they are happy, softer and to a point where they do not want surgery or need surgery 75% of the time,” he says. “On the surgical side 96% of patients on the LED protocol were softer, satisfied and did not need additional surgery or additional treatment.”

The risk of developing capsular contracture is higher among patients who have had their capsules removed previously. Their risk jumps higher with every surgery. At second surgery it rises 15% to 20% and with additional surgery it may go up to 50%, according to Dr. Haiavy.

“With the use of the LED device and milk thistle after surgery, we can reduce the risk of re-encapsulation to less than 5%. That is a significant change,” he says.

Dr. Haiavy says his goal is to convince BioPhotas to sponsor a multicenter, prospective study looking at using Celluma Light Therapy to treat and possibly prevent capsular contracture.

“I’ve read hundreds of capsular contracture studies. It’s so hard to standardize and control the variables. I think that’s why practitioners have a tough time, because it’s not exact science. But I think if we do multicenter prospective study that limits most of the variables and has a protocol, we will have better answers,” he says.

Dr. Haiavy reports no relevant disclosures.

Reference:

Headon H, Kasem A, Mokbel K. Capsular Contracture after Breast Augmentation: An Update for Clinical Practice. Arch Plast Surg. 2015;42(5):532-43. https://www.e-aps.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.5999/aps.2015.42.5.532