The Wall Center in Louisiana Offers New 3-D Imaging System

SHREVEPORT, LA, March 02, 2014 (Press-News.org) The Wall Center for Plastic Surgery (www.thewallcenter.com) is the first cosmetic practice in the Ark-La-Tex to adopt a new computer imaging platform that lets patients see images of their projected outcomes from a procedure such as breast augmentation. Surgeons at the Shreveport practice say the system, called VECTRA, is helpful to both surgeon and patient.

"VECTRA improves the planning process significantly by facilitating much clearer communication," says Dr. Simeon Wall Jr., a board-certified plastic surgeon and partner at The Wall Center. "We can preview and manipulate different outcomes, and the patient can let us know exactly what they like and don't like."

The system works like this: First, in a matter of seconds, the system captures a series of high-resolution digital photos of a patient from multiple angles. The system creates a lifelike 3-D image of the patient, which can be viewed from all different perspectives. Then, the surgeon manipulates the images to show the patient a variety of options and outcomes. One common use is to help women visualize how their breasts would look with implants alone, versus having a breast lift with implants.

"In the past, we would ask patients a lot of questions during a consultation to try to get an idea of exactly what they wanted from their results, and it was difficult to be sure we were on the same page," Wall Jr. says. "Now, we can adjust an image and actually show a patient how they would look if we did what they asked for. It really helps patients understand that their anatomy has a lot to do with the final outcome. When patients can actually see what they may look like, rather than just talking about it and visualizing it in their minds, their odds of complete satisfaction increase dramatically," he says. "It also helps patients understand and accept that they may need a breast lift or other procedure to get the look they want."

In fact, a study published in October 2013 in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery confirms that satisfaction correlates with the use of the VECTRA imaging system, with a large majority of patients saying the images were very accurate in predicting their ultimate results.

The Wall Center for Plastic Surgery uses the system as a planning tool for a variety of procedures, including facial surgery and breast and body contouring. "We've found that it's not just a great communication tool," Dr. Wall Jr. says. "Visualizing their likely outcome helps a patient to feel more confident about his or her procedure. It resolves doubts and questions they might have, and in many cases helps them move from anxious to excited."

Dr. Wall says physicians at The Wall Center for Plastic Surgery, which has been a regional leader since 1970, continually evaluate emerging technologies such as the VECTRA system, and incorporate those that will best benefit their patients.

"When we originally took a look at VECTRA several years ago, the potential advantages were clear, but the technology just wasn't ready," Dr. Wall Jr. says. "The newest VECTRA system has incorporated so much of the latest imaging technology that we are now very comfortable using this fantastic tool to help our patients. We at The Wall Center are very pleased to offer this service to patients from all over Louisiana, and our patients have been overwhelmingly happy with it as well."

The Wall Center for Plastic Surgery (www.wallcenter.com) was founded in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1970 by Dr. Simeon Wall Sr. His son, Dr. Simeon Wall Jr., and daughter-in-law, Dr. Holly Wall, joined the practice after completing their general surgery and plastic surgery residencies at Stanford University. The most recent addition to the practice, Dr. Michael R. Lee, trained at Louisiana State University Health Science Center and the University of Texas, Southwestern. This group of board-certified surgeons specializes in cosmetic surgery for the breast, body and face, and serves patients from Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The practice performs more than 2,000 cosmetic surgery procedures each year, and has earned special recognition from each of the 3 major U.S. breast implant manufacturers. The doctors have been selected as "Top Plastic Surgeons" by their peers and by consumer groups alike.