Abstract
Purpose
Fat grafting to the breast for aesthetic indications has become increasingly popular. Herein, methods, aesthetic outcomes, and complications are reviewed in a retrospective case series.
Methods
Female patients (n=165) with an average age of 45 years (range: 17–78 years) who underwent fat grafting to breast were evaluated. Demographic parameters, the type of procedure, the amount of fat transferred, the site(s) of fat harvest, operative times, and the patient’s postoperative recovery and outcomes were recorded.
Results
Of the 165 patients, 105 had breast augmentation with fat only. Of these 105 patients, 14(8%) had implant removal with and without capsulectomy, and 61(37%) had mastopexies. Composite augmentation was performed in the remaining 60 patients. The average amount of fat used was 208 cc (range: 10 to 945 cc) per breast. Forty-five patients (27%) underwent a second procedure. Of the 165 patients, 37(22%) had adverse events unrelated to the fat graft, including suture abscesses, scarring, and minor incision cite skin breakdown. Four patients (2.4%) had a complication related to fat grafting including ‘lump’ formation between the breast, abnormal mammograms, and the need for simple aspiration of a lipid cyst.
Conclusions
Autologous fat grafting should be considered for both primary and secondary aesthetic breast surgery to enhance outcomes. Complications related to fat grafting are uncommon. Revisional and secondary surgeries may be needed to achieve the desired outcome. Power-assisted liposuction, with vibratory infiltration of the tumescent solution, auto-infusion of fat, and Expansion Vibration Lipofilling using a closed system has become our preferred technique.
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Fat grafting to breast can be considered for both primary and secondary aesthetic breast surgery
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Complications related to fat grafting are uncommon
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There does not appear to be an overall increase in complications of associated mastopexy and composite augmentation
Level of Evidence V
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The corresponding author is a shareholder in Millenium Medical Technologies, Carlsbad, CA, the Mage Group, UK, the owner of Lipocube, Inc. and receives royalties on the Nanocube. The corresponding author is a consultant for Apyx Medical, Inc., Clearwater, Florida, an investigator and consultant for MTF, Edison, NJ and is a consultant for AscentXMedical, San Diego, CA. Another author is a consultant Plastic surgeon at “Cardarelli” National Hospital, Naples, Italy. All other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Due to the nature of this review, we received an exemption from the Institutional Review Board (WCG IRB, Puyallup, WA). All patients shown (Figs. 1–5) provided photo consent.
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Cohen, S.R., Patton, S., Wesson, J. et al. Fat Grafting to the Breast for Aesthetic Indications: Techniques and Outcomes in 165 Consecutive Patients. Aesth Plast Surg 48, 580–589 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-023-03746-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-023-03746-9