BellaDerm(TM), a Unique Human Skin Tissue Implant for Facial and Body Contouring,...

BellaDerm(TM), a Unique Human Skin Tissue Implant for Facial and Body
Contouring, is Introduced by MTF

EDISON, N.J., June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- BellaDerm, the first human dermal tissue
graft offered specifically for facial and body contouring procedures, is being
introduced today by MTF, the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, the
country's leading non-profit tissue bank.

BellaDerm is a unique acellular matrix, derived from donated human allograft
skin. The new tissue has properties that are very appealing to plastic
surgeons. In addition to coming from human donors, it provides excellent
handling characteristics and the added benefit of being in ready-to-use form.
It is easily accessible and ready for surgeon selection at all times. Unlike
some other dermal tissues, it does not require refrigeration.

BellaDerm provides supplemental support in areas of weakness. It has been used
by plastic surgeons to address naturally occurring defects which may be found
in areas such as the breast, lips, and face.

Michael Kawas, President of MTF's skin division, notes that plastic surgeons
typically rely on other materials; some of them from animals (like pigs) and
some of them are synthetic. "Now they will have an option to use human skin,
which provides a more natural choice. We have gotten a lot of comments about
the desirability of implanting 'like into like' - in other words, implanting
tissue from one human into another. It seems to be preferable to using animal
products or synthetic materials."

"We have a history of positive clinical outcomes using other MTF tissue,"
noted Dr. Philip Bonanno, Director of the Institute of Aesthetic Surgery and
Medicine at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco, New York. "Thus we're
comfortable using BellaDerm as a natural human dermal graft for support and
reinforcement in many of our procedures."

Donation of skin for BellaDerm is restricted to living donors who have given
specific consent for their skin to be used for these types of procedures. To
assure the utmost safety and quality, MTF has the highest standards for tissue
donation. Living skin donations are held to the same high standards for
acceptance and processing as skin which is recovered from deceased donors.

"It is very important for us to have confidence in the providers of all
materials we use," continues Dr. Bonanno, "and MTF's high standards exemplify
their commitment to providing only the best tissue possible for my patients."

MTF is a non-profit service organization that has been dedicated to providing
high quality tissue to health care providers for over 20 years. Since its
founding by surgeons in 1987, MTF has received tissue from more than 74,000
donors and has provided more than 3.5 million tissue grafts for
transplantation. For more information, visit www.mtf.org. For more information
about BellaDerm, visit www.BellaDerm.org.
Media contact:
Cindy Gordon
609-252-1300

SOURCE MTF

Cindy Gordon for MTF, +1-609-252-1300