Fat transplant: Amazing growth and regeneration of cells and rebirth with the miracle of fat cells.

BACKGROUNDS AND OBJECTIVE: During fat transplantation, adipose tissue is removed from the body and injected into different areas under the skin. The goal of this review article is to look into the efficacy and applicability of fat transplantation in regenerative medicine and rejuvenation, including Nanofat, Microfat, and Millifat. METHODS: As a search strategy and study selection, we searched the PubMed and Medline databases until 2023 using related keywords (e.g., Nanofat, Microfat and Millifat, Regenerative Medicine, and Rejuvenation). RESULTS: Autologous fat transplantation has no risk of an allergic reaction or rejection of the transplant by the individual. Autologous adipose tissue is considered an ideal filler for facial rejuvenation and is suggested as the most biocompatible and non-immunogenic skin filler. Adipose tissue transplant may have semi-permanent to permanent effects. According to recent reports, adipose tissues possess a high percentage of mature stem cells. The effect of regenerating adipose tissue and its intrinsic cells can be described as an obvious process. Variations in the sizes of adipose tissues can result in different results depending on the surgical site. Based on topographic assessment, graft fats are assigned depending on the anatomical locations and the size such as Millifat (2-2.5 mm), Microfat (1 mm), and Nanofat (500 µm or less). CONCLUSION: Some characteristics of fat tissue increase its effectiveness, such as increasing stem cells, growth factors, cytokines, and compounds effective in repair, regeneration, and rejuvenation.

Microfat exerts an anti-fibrotic effect on human hypertrophic scar via fetuin-A/ETV4 axis.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scar is a fibrotic disease following wound healing and is characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition. Autologous microfat grafting proves an effective strategy for the treatment thereof as it could improve the texture of scars and relieve relevant symptoms. This study aims to explore the potential mechanisms underlying the anti-fibrotic effect of microfat on hypertrophic scars. METHODS: In this study, we injected microfat into transplanted hypertrophic scars in mouse models and investigated the subsequent histological changes and differential expression of mRNAs therein. As for in vitro studies, we co-cultured microfat and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFs) and analyzed molecular profile changes in HSFs co-cultured with microfat by RNA sequencing. Moreover, to identify the key transcription factors (TFs) which might be responsible for the anti-fibrotic function of microfat, we screened the differentially expressed TFs and transfected HSFs with lentivirus to overexpress or knockdown certain differentially expressed TFs. Furthermore, comparative secretome analyses were conducted to investigate the proteins secreted by co-cultured microfat; changes in gene expression of HSFs were examined after the administration of the potential anti-fibrotic protein. Finally, the relationship between the key TF in HSFs and the microfat-secreted anti-fibrotic adipokine was analyzed. RESULTS: The anti-fibrotic effect of microfat was confirmed by in vivo transplanted hypertrophic scar models, as the number of α-SMA-positive myofibroblasts was decreased and the expression of fibrosis-related genes downregulated. Co-cultured microfat suppressed the extracellular matrix production of HSFs in in vitro experiment, and the transcription factor ETV4 was primarily differentially expressed in HSFs when compared with normal skin fibroblasts. Overexpression of ETV4 significantly decreased the expression of fibrosis-related genes in HSFs at both mRNA and protein levels. Fetuin-A secreted by microfat could also downregulate the expression of fibrosis-related genes in HSFs, partially through upregulating ETV4 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that transcription factor ETV4 is essential for the anti-fibrotic effect of microfat on hypertrophic scars, and that fetuin-A secreted by microfat could suppress the fibrotic characteristic of HSFs through upregulating ETV4 expression. Microfat wields an alleviative influence over hypertrophic scars via fetuin-A/ETV4 axis.

Intra Articular Injection of Autologous Microfat and Platelets-Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Wrist Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study.

No injection treatment has been proven to be effective in wrist osteoarthritis. When conservative measures fail, its management involves invasive surgery. Emergence of biotherapies based on adipose derived stem cells (ADSC) offers promising treatments for chondral degenerative diseases. Microfat (MF) and platelets-rich plasma (PRP) mixture, rich in growth factors and ADSC could be a minimally invasive injectable option in the treatment of wrist osteoarthritis. The aim of this uncontrolled prospective study was to evaluate the safety of a 4 mL autologous MF-PRP intra-articular injection, performed under local anesthesia. The secondary purpose was to describe the clinical and MRI results at 12 months of follow-up. Patients' data collected were: occurrence of adverse effects, Visual analog scale (VAS), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score (DASH) and Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) scores, wrist strength, wrist range of motion and 5-level satisfaction scale. No serious adverse event was recorded. A statistically significant decrease in pain, DASH, PRWE and force was observed at each follow-up. Our preliminary results suggest that intra-articular autologous MF and PRP injection may be a new therapeutic strategy for wrist osteoarthritis resistant to medical symptomatic treatment prior to surgical interventions.

Single session of combined microfat and subcision in the treatment of Grade 4 atrophic acne scars.

BACKGROUND: Severe atrophic acne scars (AAS) remain the "Achilles's heel" of AAS treatment. The combination of microfat and subcision treatment is a potential solution for severe AAS. AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined microfat and subcision treatment for severe (Grade 4) AAS. METHODS: Data of patients with Grade 4 AAS who underwent combined microfat and subcision treatment between September 2016 and December 2020 were reviewed. Post-treatment evaluation was performed at least 3 months postoperatively. The severity of AAS was graded based on Goodman's qualitative classification. The volume of concavities was measured using an Antera 3D camera. Complications were documented. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients received a single treatment session. Excellent response was observed in 5 (11.9%) patients, very good in 13 (31.0%), good in 22 (52.4%), and poor response in 2 (4.7%). The average reduction of the total volume of concavities was 28.0%. The most common minor side effects were mild swelling and bruising. No major complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Combined microfat and subcision treatment is a safe and effective treatment for severe AAS. The approach will be a significant treatment for severe AAS.

A Feasibility Study on 3D Bioprinting of Microfat Constructs Towards Wound Healing Applications.

Chronic wounds affect over 400,000 people in the United States alone, with up to 60,000 deaths each year from non-healing ulcerations. Tissue grafting (e.g., autografts, allografts, and xenografts) and synthetic skin substitutes are common treatment methods, but most solutions are limited to symptomatic treatment and do not address the underlying causes of the chronic wound. Use of fat grafts for wound healing applications has demonstrated promise but these grafts suffer from low cell viability and poor retention at the wound site resulting in suboptimal healing of chronic wounds. Herein, we report on an innovative closed-loop fat processing system (MiniTCTM) that can efficiently process lipoaspirates into microfat clusters comprising of highly viable regenerative cell population (i.e., adipose stromal cells, endothelial progenitors) preserved in their native niche. Cryopreservation of MiniTCTM isolated microfat retained cell count and viability. To improve microfat retention and engraftment at the wound site, microfat was mixed with methacrylated collagen (CMA) bioink and 3D printed to generate microfat-laden collagen constructs. Modulating the concentration of microfat in CMA constructs had no effect on print fidelity or stability of the printed constructs. Results from the Alamar blue assay showed that the cells remain viable and metabolically active in microfat-laden collagen constructs for up to 10 days in vitro. Further, quantitative assessment of cell culture medium over time using ELISA revealed a temporal expression of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines indicative of wound healing microenvironment progression. Together, these results demonstrate that 3D bioprinting of microfat-laden collagen constructs is a promising approach to generate viable microfat grafts for potential use in treatment of non-healing chronic wounds.

Periorbital Fat Grafting: A New Paradigm for Rejuvenation of the Eyelids.

Fat grafting represents the most important new addition to surgical procedures to rejuvenate the orbit since the inception of the "blepharoplasty" technique. Traditional blepharoplasty procedures do not always address the changes that occur with age in the orbital area and can actually degrade the appearance of the eye. Fat grafting allows treatment of age-associated loss of periorbital volume not addressed by traditional blepharoplasty procedures. Fat grafting is an artistically powerful method to rejuvenate the periorbital orbital area that often provides a more healthy, fit, youthful, and sensual appearance than traditional blepharoplasty procedures.

Effect of microfat injection on facial burn scars / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect and complications of microfat injection on facial burn scars.Methods:Forty-six patients with burn scars underwent microfat injection in plastic surgery department of the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2019 to January 2020 were enrolled. The clinical efficacy, Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) score, complication rate and satisfaction degree were recorded.Results:The VSS scores of 46 patients were (13.15±2.36) at baseline, (11.06±1.78) at 2 months after treatment, (9.18±1.37) at 4 months after treatment, and (7.23±1.09) at 6 months after treatment, with significant difference ( P<0.05). Of the 46 patients, 19 were cured (41.30%), 17 were significantly effective (36.96%), 7 were effective (15.22%), and 3 were ineffective (6.54%), with a total effective rate of 93.48% (42/46). Complications occurred in 4 cases, with a complication rate of 8.70%, all of which were cured by corresponding treatment. A total of 42 patients were satisfied, with a satisfaction rate of 91.30%. Conclusions:Microfat injection for facial burn scars can effectively improve the color and texture of the scar, with low complication rate and high satisfaction rate.

Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous Temporal Autologous Micro-fat Augmentation.

BACKGROUND: Autologous fat grafting is a rapidly developing soft tissue filling technique that has been playing an increasingly important role in facial contouring and rejuvenation surgeries. However, this technique is accompanied by many side effects and risks. In particular, there is still much room for improvement in regard to the surgical method of temporal augmentation with autologous fat, which is highly popular among Chinese people. Better surgical methods can achieve better outcomes while curbing surgical risks. DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY: We reviewed 39 patients who consecutively underwent subcutaneous temporal autologous micro-fat argumentation surgery at Peking University People's Hospital from February 19, 2016, to May 13, 2019, to correct temporal hollowness. Each patient's Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) satisfaction score and Hollowness Severity Rating Scale (HSRS) score before and after surgery were precisely recorded, and any complaints about perioperative complications were meticulously collected to assess the efficacy and safety profile of the novel technique. RESULTS: All 39 patients included in this study were female. We performed 86 subcutaneous temporal autologous micro-fat argumentation surgeries, with an average follow-up of 20.4 ± 9.6 months. The average fat filling volume in the right temporal region was 6.29 ± 2.55 mL, and that in the left temporal region was 6.34 ± 2.71 mL. The average VAS satisfaction score increased from 4.44 ± 1.33 before the surgery to 8.08 ± 0.77 after the surgery, and the average HSRS score dropped from 1.82 ± 0.72 before the surgery to 0.36 ± 0.49 after the surgery. Four patients were encountered with minor complications of intraoperative bleeding and congestion, which were all completely ameliorated after conservative therapies. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we found that the reported surgical method of subcutaneous temporal autologous micro-fat augmentation successfully improved the temporal hollowness of the patients, boasting good surgical results and high patient satisfaction with minimal short- and long-term complications, illustrating that it is an effective, safe and promising novel surgical technique worthy of wider clinical application. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Fat Grafting for Treatment of Facial Scleroderma.

Reparative, angiogenic, and immunomodulatory properties have been attributed to the cells in the adipose tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction. Because of these characteristics, in the last decade, fat grafting for treatment of autoimmune diseases has grown. This article focuses on systemic sclerosis, a rare autoimmune disease characterized by skin fibrosis and microvascular damage. Lesions of the face are almost always present; however, current therapy is insufficient and patients have considerable disability and social discomfort. This article presents our approach to using fat grafting in the face as an innovative and promising therapy for patients with systemic sclerosis.

Microfat and Nanofat: When and Where These Treatments Work.

Facial fat transfer has evolved from simple grafting techniques to smaller lobule (microfat) and adipose-derived stem cell (nanofat) injection techniques. These new methods look to overcome the early limitations of facial fat transfer while meeting increased demand and understanding of the role of volume loss in facial aging. The purpose of this article is to review basic principles of microfat and nanofat and demonstrate one technique for their application.

Development of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Mixed-Microfat as an Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product for Intra-Articular Injection of Radio-Carpal Osteoarthritis: From Validation Data to Preliminary Clinical Results.

Wrist osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common conditions encountered by hand surgeons with limited efficacy of non-surgical treatments. The purpose of this study is to describe the Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) mixed-microfat biological characteristics of an experimental Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) needed for clinical trial authorization and describe the clinical results obtained from our first three patients 12 months after treatment (NCT03164122). Biological characterization of microfat, PRP and mixture were analysed in vitro according to validated methods. Patients with stage four OA according to the Kellgren Lawrence classification, with failure to conservative treatment and a persistent daily painful condition >40 mm according to the visual analog scale (VAS) were treated. Microfat-PRP ATMP is a product with high platelet purity, conserved viability of stromal vascular fraction cells, chondrogenic differentiation capacity in vitro and high secretion of IL-1Ra anti-inflammatory cytokine. For patients, the only side effect was pain at the adipose tissue harvesting sites. Potential efficacy was observed with a pain decrease of over 50% (per VAS score) and the achievement of minimal clinically important differences for DASH and PRWE functional scores at one year in all three patients. Microfat-PRP ATMP presented a good safety profile after an injection in wrist OA. Efficacy trials are necessary to assess whether this innovative strategy could delay the necessity to perform non-conservative surgery.

Application of microfat injection in the treatment of facial hypertrophic scar / 中华整形外科杂志

Objective@#To investigate the clinical outcome of microfat injection on facial hypertrophic scar treatment.@*Methods@#A total of 22 patients had facial hypertrophic scar were treated with microfat injection. The microfat was injected into the scar three times for each case, with an interval of 2 months. The severity of scar was evaluated preoperatively and 1-month postoperatively, using modified Vancouver scar score, to evaluate the efficacy.@*Results@#Postoperative infection occurred in 1 case, and no further microfat injection was performed on him/her. All the other 21 cases have relieved cicatricial hyperemia, with the scar softening and flattening. The symptom of itching and pain were alleviated as well. The overall effective rate was 95.45%. The score of modified Vancouver scar scale was reduced from 12.82±2.15 preoperatively, to 7.05±1.76 6 months after the treatment (P<0.05).@*Conclusions@#The microfat injection can effectively improve the color and texture of the facial hypertrophic scar, and reduce the symptoms of itching and pain. It is a new choice for the treatment for hypertrophic scar.

Fat Injection: A Systematic Review of Injection Volumes by Facial Subunit.

BACKGROUND: Fat grafting to the aging face has become an integral component of esthetic surgery. However, the amount of fat to inject to each area of the face is not standardized and has been based mainly on the surgeon's experience. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of injected fat volume to different facial zones. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed through a MEDLINE search using keywords "facial," "fat grafting," "lipofilling," "Coleman technique," "autologous fat transfer," and "structural fat grafting." Articles were then sorted by facial subunit and analyzed for: author(s), year of publication, study design, sample size, donor site, fat preparation technique, average and range of volume injected, time to follow-up, percentage of volume retention, and complications. Descriptive statistics were performed. RESULTS: Nineteen articles involving a total of 510 patients were included. Rhytidectomy was the most common procedure performed concurrently with fat injection. The mean volume of fat injected to the forehead is 6.5 mL (range 4.0-10.0 mL); to the glabellar region 1.4 mL (range 1.0-4.0 mL); to the temple 5.9 mL per side (range 2.0-10.0 mL); to the eyebrow 5.5 mL per side; to the upper eyelid 1.7 mL per side (range 1.5-2.5 mL); to the tear trough 0.65 mL per side (range 0.3-1.0 mL); to the infraorbital area (infraorbital rim to lower lid/cheek junction) 1.4 mL per side (range 0.9-3.0 mL); to the midface 1.4 mL per side (range 1.0-4.0 mL); to the nasolabial fold 2.8 mL per side (range 1.0-7.5 mL); to the mandibular area 11.5 mL per side (range 4.0-27.0 mL); and to the chin 6.7 mL (range 1.0-20.0 mL). CONCLUSIONS: Data on exactly how much fat to inject to each area of the face in facial fat grafting are currently limited and vary widely based on different methods and anatomical terms used. This review offers the ranges and the averages for the injected volume in each zone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Facial skin rejuvenation by autologous dermal microfat transfer in photoaged patients: Clinical evaluation and skin surface digital profilometry analysis.

Cumulative long-term exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation promotes premature skin aging characterized by wrinkle formation and reduced skin elasticity. In this study, we assessed whether microfat transfer could improve dermal and subcutaneous tissue thickness loss associated with photoaging. Twenty-one patients affected by facial photoaging (photodamage grade II-IV; age range 35-62 years; 19 females, 2 males; all of Caucasian origin) were treated using minimally invasive autologous dermal white fat transfer harvested with a recently designed microcannula. The results were determined by clinical assessment and patient self-evaluation and quantified by the Antera 3D® dermal digital device for noninvasive, objective, reliable, and accurate assessment of facial skin texture, color, and wrinkle characteristics. Compared with the pretreatment condition, the increment in soft tissue volume and improvement in skin quality and texture were assessed by a dermatologist after treatment. In addition, instrumental evaluation by digital skin profilometry of the treated areas revealed a 41% reduction in average wrinkle depth (7.29 ± 1.04 × 10-2 mm pretreatment vs. 4.31 ± 1.16 × 10-2 mm at 90 days posttreatment; p < 0.001), improved skin texture, more homogeneous and uniform skin color, and declined facial hemoglobin and melanin concentrations. The majority of patients (above 90%) reported improvements in self-perception. No significant complications were reported throughout the study. In conclusion, by using digital profilometry analysis as an objective and innovative tool to determine the outcome of treatment, we demonstrated that autologous microfat transfer is a safe and well-tolerated procedure with measurable beneficial effects on facial skin aging.

AUTOLOGOUS FAT TRANSFER, BREAST LIPOMODELLING AND FAT TRANSFER TO THE FACE: CURRENT GOLD STANDARDS AND EMERGING NEW DATA.

Autologous fat transfer techniques have experienced tremendous boom in the recent years. Plastic surgeons use these techniques to enhance both the features of the face and of the body. Over the years, controversies concerning fat harvesting, fat processing and fat injection came up. The authors of this review article describe their own experience with fat harvesting, processing and injection and show some of their own results. In addition, they discuss contemporary data from literature regarding the use and complications of fat grafting to the most common areas treated with fat grafting: breast and face.

Treatment of the nasal abnormalities of Hallermann-Streiff syndrome by lipofilling.

Hallermann-Streiff syndrome (HSS) is a rare congenital abnormality affecting mostly the head and face area. Craniofacial deformities, which are present in 98-99% of cases, are the principal abnormalities detected. We focus here on a particular subset of these deformities: atrophy of the skin of the centre of the face and nose. Two patients diagnosed with HSS were treated in our department. Both patients underwent nasal lipofilling to treat the atrophy of the nasal skin, as described by Nguyen et al. In both cases, a satisfactory improvement in nasal skin colour and texture was observed. A functional gain was also reported by the parents and observed during follow-up consultations. Lipofilling thus appears to be an excellent option for treating craniofacial deformities in children.

Regenerative Approach to Scleroderma with Fat Grafting.

Grafted fat has many qualities of ideal filler; it is autologous, easily available, and naturally integrated into the host tissues. From a lipoaspirate, the adipose-tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction can be isolated, which is an excellent source of stem/stromal cells, endothelial progenitors, and immune cells. Fat grafting is being increasingly applied in autoimmune diseases, and this article focuses on systemic sclerosis, a rare autoimmune disease characterized by skin fibrosis and microvascular damage. The authors' approach of using fat graft in the face and adipose-tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction for hands is presented as innovative and promising therapy for patients with systemic sclerosis.

Fat grafting in facial rejuvenation.

Patients with significant facial atrophy and age-related loss of facial fat generally achieve suboptimal improvement from both surface treatments of facial skin and surgical lifts. Restoring lost facial volume by fat grafting is a powerful technique that is now acknowledged by most plastic surgeons and other physicians engaged in treating the aging face as one of the most important advances in aesthetic surgery. Properly performed, the addition of fat to areas of the face that have atrophied because of age or disease can produce a significant and sustained improvement in appearance that is unobtainable by other means.

Microfat Grafting in Nasal Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Injectable fillers are sometimes necessary to correct slight skin irregularities. However, there have been reports of necrosis after injection of alloplastic materials and heterogeneous transplants. On the other hand, the advantages of autogenous tissue grafts over those fillers are well established. Volumetric reshaping of the face with autologous tissue injection is a popular and reliable method with good long-term results. However, procedures performed on the fragile skin of the nose are prone to complications. OBJECTIVES: The author conducted a study of injectable autologous microfat grafting to the nose in patients with secondary nasal deformities. METHODS: During a 5-year period, 313 patients who had secondary nasal deformities with slight skin irregularities or severe nasal skin damage were treated with microfat grafting. At each patient's first injection session, excess harvested fat was cryopreserved for subsequent injection. To correct minor irregularities, 0.3 to 0.8 mL of microfat was injected during each session; for major irregularities or defects, 1 to 6 mL was required for each session. RESULTS: One to 3 injections of microfat provided satisfactory results in all patients who had minor irregularities. For patients with multiple and severe irregularities, 3 to 6 injections were necessary and resulted in high patient satisfaction. In another group of patients, with severe traumatic skin damage, 6 to 16 injections were necessary for reconstruction. After repeated injections, each patient's skin damage was repaired. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous microfat injection appears to be safe and effective for correcting slight irregularities of the nose. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.