Artecoll: the Arizona experience and lessons learned.

BACKGROUND

Artefill is one of several new materials being introduced to the U.S. market as a soft tissue augmenting agent.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of injecting Artecoll (Rofil Medical International Breda, the Netherlands) in facial wrinkles compared with injecting Zyderm or Zyplast (INAMED, Santa Barbara, CA, USA) and discuss the practical lessons learned.

METHODS

Thirty-eight patients were randomly selected to receive Artecoll or Zyderm/Zyplast into facial defects. Wrinkles were evaluated by the treating physician, the subject, and masked physician evaluators. Similar evaluations were performed on several collagen patients crossing over to Artecoll. Adverse reactions were recorded. RESULTS. All evaluators felt Artecoll to be superior to collagen in all treated areas except for the glabella and upper lip lines. In these areas, differentiation by photographs between the two products became more difficult for the masked evaluators. The adverse side effects of Artecoll were almost equal with those of collagen, but most were of minimal consequence. Three patients developed persistent nodules (all in perioral sites), which were treatable with intralesional steroids. CONCLUSION. Artecoll treatment of wrinkles and folds was found to be effective, long lasting, safe, and associated with a high percentage of patient acceptance. There is a learning curve in injecting this thicker, more permanent product.