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Autologous Fat Grafting for Functional and Aesthetic Improvement in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review

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Abstract

Introduction

The efficacy and safety of autologous fat grafting for use in oncology patients are controversial. Patients with head and neck cancer have complex anatomy and require reconstructive repair of the head and neck after comprehensive treatment. The limited additional aesthetic and functional studies on the use of autologous fat fillers in patients with head and neck cancer are unclear. This study systematically evaluates the additional function of autologous fat fillers in the head and neck and systematically reviews issues related to autologous fat grafting after comprehensive head and neck cancer treatment, including current indications, techniques, potential complications, graft survival, and patient satisfaction.

Methods

A systematic literature review was performed using PubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science (last accessed on January 9, 2023).

Results

A total of 249 cases of autologous fat fillers in patients with head and neck cancer were reported in 10 clinical publications. Observations were based mainly on subjective physician and patient evaluation indicators, and all studies reported the beneficial effects of autologous fat fillers on aesthetics and function after treatment for head and neck cancer.

Conclusions

Autologous fat fillers are effective in improving the aesthetics and function of head and neck cancer, and due to the limitations of the original study, future studies with large samples are needed to support this. PROSPERO registration number is CRD42020222870.

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China

    Yu Wang & Fuping Xiang

  2. Nursing Department, Affiliated Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China

    Yu Wang, Lili Hou & Fuping Xiang

  3. Department of Oral Maxillofacial and Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China

    Mingyi Wang, Xiaomei Zhao & Meizhen Qian

  4. College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200011, China

    Mingyi Wang, Xiaomei Zhao & Meizhen Qian

  5. National Center for Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China

    Mingyi Wang, Xiaomei Zhao & Meizhen Qian

  6. National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China

    Mingyi Wang, Xiaomei Zhao & Meizhen Qian

  7. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China

    Mingyi Wang, Xiaomei Zhao & Meizhen Qian

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  1. Yu Wang
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Correspondence to Yu Wang or Lili Hou.

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Wang, Y., Hou, L., Wang, M. et al. Autologous Fat Grafting for Functional and Aesthetic Improvement in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review. Aesth Plast Surg 47, 2800–2812 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-023-03331-0

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