Grants Funded
ASPS/PSF leadership is committed to continuing to provide high levels of investigator-initiated research support to ensure that plastic surgeons have the needed research resources to be pioneers and innovators in advancing the practice of medicine.
Research Abstracts
Search The PSF database to have easy access to full-text grant abstracts from past PSF-funded research projects 2003 to present. All abstracts are the work of the Principal Investigators and were retrieved from their PSF grant applications. Several different filters may be applied to locate abstracts specific to a particular focus area or PSF funding mechanism.
The compartmentalization of human adipose tissue
Principal Investigator
Joel Pessa MD
Joel Pessa MD
Year
2009
2009
Institution
UT Southwestern Medical School
UT Southwestern Medical School
Funding Mechanism
Scientific Essay Contest
Scientific Essay Contest
Focus Area
Abstract
Clinical observations suggested that the classification of the retaining system of the face was incomplete. Pilot work centered on the region of the platysma retaining system, where we observed boundary zones between adjacent regions of subcutaneous adipose tissue. The observation led to a hypothesis that subcutaneous tissue exists as separate regions. This was validated by dye injection studies in the anatomical laboratory. Continued work described multiple regions termed subcutaneous adipose compartments. Other findings became known as work progressed: septal barriers partition dye; blood vessels run along and are stabilized by these fascial membranes; and additional deep adipose tissue compartments exist as well. The clinical implications of the compartmentalization of adipose tissue are just beginning to emerge: not only does this work affect surgical techniques for facial rejuvenation, but also for the study of aging, health, and disease.
Clinical observations suggested that the classification of the retaining system of the face was incomplete. Pilot work centered on the region of the platysma retaining system, where we observed boundary zones between adjacent regions of subcutaneous adipose tissue. The observation led to a hypothesis that subcutaneous tissue exists as separate regions. This was validated by dye injection studies in the anatomical laboratory. Continued work described multiple regions termed subcutaneous adipose compartments. Other findings became known as work progressed: septal barriers partition dye; blood vessels run along and are stabilized by these fascial membranes; and additional deep adipose tissue compartments exist as well. The clinical implications of the compartmentalization of adipose tissue are just beginning to emerge: not only does this work affect surgical techniques for facial rejuvenation, but also for the study of aging, health, and disease.
Biography
First Place Basic Science Senior Category - Joel Pessa is an associate professor at UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas in the department of plastic surgery.
The senior author of the research and article is Dr. Rod J Rohrich MD FACS. Dr. Rohrich is professor and chairman of the department of plastic surgery and is in charge of the research of facial aging. Dr. Rohrich is past president the Society, and holds the distinguished charity ball chair at UT Southwestern.
First Place Basic Science Senior Category - Joel Pessa is an associate professor at UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas in the department of plastic surgery.
The senior author of the research and article is Dr. Rod J Rohrich MD FACS. Dr. Rohrich is professor and chairman of the department of plastic surgery and is in charge of the research of facial aging. Dr. Rohrich is past president the Society, and holds the distinguished charity ball chair at UT Southwestern.