(Koray Erdogan Embedding Placer)
After years of placing grafts using forceps in pre-made incisions for graft planning and for the purpose of creating natural looking frontlines and temple peaks with narrow and low angles to the skin surface, it became apparent that their use could possibly be the cause of graft curving and damage that often occurs within the 24-hour period post- surgery. This phenomenon seems to be especially significant in cases with hard and bleeding skin-types and with splay or fragile grafts. There are two factors that may be attributed to this occurrence. One factor is the fatigue level of surgeons and technicians while placing grafts after numerous hours of tedious surgery and the unconscious tendency to apply greater pressure with forceps than is necessary when holding the graft. The other factor is the natural predisposition of pre- made incisions to become tighter and less visible while awaiting placement and the probing that subsequently occurs while determining the proper direction of the incision for implantation with graft-loaded forceps.
The K.E.E. P. (Koray Erdogan Embedding Placer) was developed as a dramatic response to graft placement without damage using pre-made incisions. It is made from medical steel type 304 that is 50 microns in thickness and is designed for long-term use. It is available in different sizes that are appropriate to graft size and graft condition with two adaptable types for both left and right hand use. The instrument can undergo normal sterilization processes and is available for both left and right hand application.
In studying the outcome of port-surgical curved grafts, it was noted that the regrowth rate of the grafts at 65% was relatively low and unacceptable when compared to the regrowth rate of the transplanted hair (more important than graft regrowth rate). In a second study conducted with 50 grafts (20 grafts with triple hairs = 60 hairs) and (30 grafts with double hairs = 40 hairs) using K.E.E.P. verses forceps, the graft regrowth rate using both instruments was 100% while the hair regrowth rate was 93.4% (112 hairs) with K.E.E.P /verses 77.5% (93 hairs) using forceps. The overall result with K.E.E.P. was 18 triples, 26 doubles and 6 singles. With forceps, the overall result was 7 triples, 29 doubles and 14 singles. This constitutes a 15% increase. The same proportional results were repeatedly witnessed in subsequent standard and long-hair FUE surgeries using K.E.E.P. Overall results with K.E.E.P. over time are earlier and better density feedbacks. This equates to a more cost-effective and quality-effective solution to a large phase of FUE surgery.