Cell-Assisted Lipotransfer for Cosmetic Breast Augmentation: Supportive Use of Adipose-Derived Stem/Stromal Cells

TLDR

Lipoinjection is promising but suffers from unpredictability and low graft survival, and further study is needed to evaluate its efficacy. The study aims to develop and evaluate cell‑assisted lipotransfer (CAL) to address these lipoinjection shortcomings. CAL combines autologous adipose‑derived stem cells with lipoinjection by isolating a stromal vascular fraction from half the aspirated fat and mixing it with the remaining fat to create ASC‑rich grafts. In 40 cosmetic breast augmentation patients, CAL produced 100–200 ml volume gain with minimal fat atrophy after 2 months, few cysts, high patient satisfaction, and appears safer and more effective than conventional lipoinjection.

Abstract

Lipoinjection is a promising treatment but has some problems, such as unpredictability and a low rate of graft survival due to partial necrosis.To overcome the problems with lipoinjection, the authors developed a novel strategy known as cell-assisted lipotransfer (CAL). In CAL, autologous adipose-derived stem (stromal) cells (ASCs) are used in combination with lipoinjection. A stromal vascular fraction (SVF) containing ASCs is freshly isolated from half of the aspirated fat and recombined with the other half. This process converts relatively ASC-poor aspirated fat to ASC-rich fat. This report presents the findings for 40 patients who underwent CAL for cosmetic breast augmentation.Final breast volume showed augmentation by 100 to 200 ml after a mean fat amount of 270 ml was injected. Postoperative atrophy of injected fat was minimal and did not change substantially after 2 months. Cyst formation or microcalcification was detected in four patients. Almost all the patients were satisfied with the soft and natural-appearing augmentation.The preliminary results suggest that CAL is effective and safe for soft tissue augmentation and superior to conventional lipoinjection. Additional study is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of this technique further.