Faculty Bibliography

UNLABELLED:Fat grafting is an effective treatment for craniofacial deformities. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is a concentrated form of adipose derived stem cells that can be isolated from fat. The aim of this clinical trial was to assess the impact of SVF enrichment on craniofacial fat grafting. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:Twelve subjects with at least two regions of craniofacial volume deficit were enrolled, and they underwent fat grafting with SVF-enriched or standard fat grafting to each area. All patients had bilateral malar regions injected with SVF-enriched graft on one side and control standard fat grafting to the contralateral side. Outcome assessments included demographic information, volume retention determined by CT scans, SVF cell populations assessed by flow cytometry, SVF cell viability, complications, and appearance ratings. Follow-up was 9 months. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:0.027). CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:Autologous fat transfer for reconstruction of craniofacial defects is effective and safe, leading to reliable volume retention. However, SVF enrichment does not significantly impact volume retention.

SUMMARY/CONCLUSIONS:Radiation-induced changes in skin and soft tissue result in significant cosmetic and functional impairment with subsequent decrease in quality of life. Fat grafting has emerged as a therapy for radiation-induced soft-tissue injury, and this narrative review aims to evaluate the current clinical evidence regarding its efficacy. A review was conducted to examine the current clinical evidence of fat grafting as a therapy for radiation-induced injury to the skin and soft tissue and to outline the clinical outcomes that can be used to more consistently quantify chronic radiation-induced injury in future clinical studies. The current clinical evidence regarding the efficacy of fat grafting to treat radiation-induced injury of the skin and soft tissue suggests that fat grafting increases skin softness and pliability, induces volume restoration, improves hair growth in areas of alopecia, reduces pain, and improves cosmetic and functional outcomes. However, literature in this field is far from robust and mired by the retrospective nature of the studies, lack of adequate controls, and inherent limitations of small case series and cohorts. A series of actions have been identified to strengthen future clinical data, including the need for physical examination using a validated scale, appropriate imaging, skin biomechanics and microcirculation testing, and histologic analysis. In conclusion, radiation-induced soft-tissue injury is a significant health burden that can lead to severe functional and aesthetic sequelae. Although still in a preliminary research phase, there is promising clinical evidence demonstrating the benefits of fat grafting to treat chronic changes after radiation therapy. Future clinical studies will require larger cohorts, adequate controls, and consistent use of objective measurements.

BACKGROUND:Adipose tissue reaches cellular stasis after puberty, leaving adipocytes unable to significantly expand or renew under normal physiologic conditions. This is problematic in progressive lipodystrophies, in instances of scarring, and in soft-tissue damage resulting from lumpectomy and traumatic deformities, because adipose tissue will not self-renew once damaged. This yields significant clinical necessity for an off-the-shelf de novo soft-tissue replacement mechanism. METHODS:A process comprising separate steps of removing lipid and cellular materials from adipose tissue has been developed, creating an ambient temperature-stable allograft adipose matrix. Growth factors and matrix proteins relevant to angiogenesis and adipogenesis were identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry, and subcutaneous soft-tissue integration of the allograft adipose matrix was investigated in vivo in both the athymic mouse and the dorsum of the human wrist. RESULTS:Allograft adipose matrix maintained structural components and endogenous growth factors. In vitro, adipose-derived stem cells cultured on allograft adipose matrix underwent adipogenesis in the absence of media-based cues. In vivo, animal modeling showed vasculature formation followed by perilipin A-positive tissue segments. Allograft adipose matrix maintained soft-tissue volume in the dorsal wrist in a 4-month investigation with no severe adverse events, becoming palpably consistent with subcutaneous adipose. CONCLUSIONS:Subcutaneous implantation of allograft adipose matrix laden with retained angiogenic and adipogenic factors served as an inductive scaffold for sustaining adipogenesis. Tissue incorporation assessed histologically from both the subcutaneous injection site of the athymic nude mouse over 6 months and human dorsal wrist presented adipocyte morphology residing within the injected scaffold.

Soft-tissue deficits in amputation stumps can lead to significant pain and disability. An emerging treatment option is stem cell-enriched fat grafting. This is the first study assessing the potential for this treatment modality in lower extremity amputation sites. In this prospective cohort study, five injured military personnel suffering from pain and limited function at amputation sites were recruited. Fat grafting enriched with stromal vascular fraction was performed at amputation sites to provide additional subcutaneous tissue padding over bony structures. Outcomes measures included complications, demographic data, physical examination, cellular subpopulations, cell viability, graft volume retention, pain, Lower Extremity Functional Scale, Functional Mobility Assessment, 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and rates of depression. Follow-up was 2 years. There were no significant complications. Volume retention was 61.5 ± 24.0 percent. Overall cell viability of the stromal vascular fraction was significantly correlated with volume retention (p = 0.016). There was no significant correlation between percentage of adipose-derived stem cells or number of cells in the stromal vascular fraction and volume retention. There was a nonsignificant trend toward improvement in pain scores (3.0 ± 2.5 to 1.2 ± 1.6; p = 0.180 at 2 years). There were no significant changes in disability indexes. Results from this pilot study demonstrate that stromal vascular fraction-enriched fat grafting is a safe, novel modality for the treatment of symptomatic soft-tissue defects in traumatic lower extremity amputations. Volume retention can be anticipated at slightly over 60 percent. Further studies are needed to assess efficacy. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Therapeutic, IV.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released draft guidance documents on human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products regulations. These proposed guidance documents can impact the practice of plastic surgery in the area of tissue grafting procedures. This article describes the relevant issues in these draft guidance documents, and presents the comments provided to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

The ideal filler for aesthetic surgery is inexpensive and easy to obtain, natural in appearance and texture, immunologically compatible, and long lasting without risk of infection. By most metrics, autologous fat grafts meet these criteria perfectly. Although facial fat grafting is now a commonly accepted surgical procedure, there has been a wave of activity applying stem cells and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapies to aesthetic practice. This article addresses technical considerations in the use of autologous fat transfer for facial rejuvenation, and also explores the current evidence for these stem cell and PRP therapies in aesthetic practice.

BACKGROUND: Interest in and acceptance of autologous fat grafting for use in contour abnormalities, breast reconstruction, and cosmetic procedures have increased. However, there are many procedural variations that alter the effectiveness of the procedure and may account for the unpredictable resorption rates observed. METHODS: The authors highlighted studies investigating the effects of harvesting procedures, processing techniques, and reinjection methods on the survival of fat grafts. This review focused on the impact different techniques have on outcomes observed in the following: in vitro analyses, in vivo animal experiments, and human studies. RESULTS: This systemic review revealed the current state of the literature. There was no significant difference in the outcomes of grafted fat obtained from different donor sites, different donor-site preparations, harvest technique, fat harvesting cannula size, or centrifugation speed, when tumescent solution was used. Gauze rolling was found to enhance the volume of grafted fat, and no significant difference in retention was observed following centrifugation, filtration, or sedimentation in animal experiments. In contrast, clinical studies in patients found more favorable outcomes with fat processed by centrifugation compared with sedimentation. In addition, higher retention was observed with slower reinjection speed and when introduced into less mobile areas. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a substantial increase in research interest to identify methodologies for optimizing fat graft survival. Despite some differences in harvest and implantation technique in the laboratory, these findings have not translated into a universal protocol for fat grafting. Therefore, additional human studies are necessary to aid in the development of a universal protocol for clinical practice.

Plastic surgeons have come to realize that fat grafting can rejuvenate an aging face by restoring or creating fullness. However, fat grafting does much more than simply add volume. Grafted fat can transform or repair the tissues into which it is placed. Historically, surgeons have hesitated to embrace the rejuvenating potential of fat grafting because of poor graft take, fat necrosis, and inconsistent outcomes. This article describes fat grafting techniques and practices to assist readers in successful harvesting, processing, and placement of fat for optimal graft retention and facial esthetic outcomes.

The controversy over fat grafting to the breasts has now been settled. In 2009, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Fat Graft Task Force stated that "Fat grafting may be considered for breast augmentation and correction of defects associated with medical conditions and previous breast surgeries; however, results are dependent on technique and surgeon expertise." This article discusses the history, indications, planning, complications, and present technique of fat grafting to the breast using the Coleman technique.