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The effects of the recipient site on fat graft survival in a murine model

  • Experimental Study
  • Published:
European Journal of Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Fat grafting is a practice with prior successful outcomes that is frequently used to improve tissue regeneration as well as to add volume to the subcutaneous tissue. The literature review in this study provided references to the information that the survival of a fat graft is related to the duration of its stay and the recipient site to which it is transplanted. Our study aimed to examine the effects of the recipient site of fat grafting on graft survival.

Methods

This study was conducted using a prospective and experimental design. Our sample consisted of three groups, each including 9 Wistar albino rats. Skin incision was made in the right inguinal region of the rats in group 1 (control group), and the incision was closed without any dissection to the fat pad. The fat pads extracted from the right inguinal region of the rats in groups 2 and 3 were transformed into chopped fat grafts by the fine cutting method. Micropipettes (Isolab 100 µL, Germany) were used during the fat graft transfer process. Grafts were placed subcutaneously on the right inguinal region in group 2 and on the sternum in group 3. The wounds of the incision areas in all groups were closed with simple sutures. Three months later, the fat pads in group 1 and grafts in groups 2 and 3 were removed for histopathological and stereological evaluations.

Results

Our study revealed a statistically significant decrease in the volume of the adipose tissue placed in group 3, compared to groups 1 and 2 (p ≤ 0.01). However, no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed in the comparison of the volume of adipose tissue placed in the rats in group 1 and those in group 2. In group 3, an intense cellular infiltration developed in the fat grafts placed in the subcutaneous tissue above the sternum, the fat cells could not maintain their normal structure, and there were areas of dense cystic cells and calcification.

Conclusions

It was concluded that recipient site differences are effective in maintaining the volume and survival of fat grafts. It is recommended that the volume and survival of the fat graft be supported by effective therapeutic interventions following the application of the fat graft.

Level of evidence: Not ratable

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

No funding was received for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Adiyaman University, Adiyaman, Turkey

    Fatma Nilay Tutak

  2. Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Adiyaman University, Adiyaman, Turkey

    Elfide Gizem Bakirhan

Authors
  1. Fatma Nilay Tutak
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  2. Elfide Gizem Bakirhan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fatma Nilay Tutak.

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Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was approved by the Institutional Scientific and Animal Research Ethics Committee of Adıyaman University. This study was performed in strict accordance with the recommendations in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

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Informed consent was not applicable to this study because the sample did not include human subjects.

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Not applicable.

Conflict of interest

Fatma Nilay Tutak and Elfide Gizem Bakirhan declare no conflict of interest.

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Tutak, F.N., Bakirhan, E.G. The effects of the recipient site on fat graft survival in a murine model. Eur J Plast Surg 45, 733–740 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-022-01979-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-022-01979-6

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