fat grafting in BREAST RECONSTRUCTION
 

The transfer of fat from unwanted problem areas to volume-depleted zones of the face, breast or scars is an exciting and powerful tool used by reconstructive and cosmetic surgeons today.

For patients who are undergoing breast reconstruction, this technique has proven itself enormously valuable in a variety of ways.  For patients who have undergone lumpectomy with radiation, fat grafting can be used to fill in small defects and correct for noticeable contour irregularities.

In patients who have had mastectomies with implant reconstructions, fat grafting finds even more use. Since implants are essentially non-custom off the shelf devices, fat grafting is helpful for customizing the reconstructive result to the shape and character of each individual’s unique body. In patients who require radiation after mastectomy, the stem cells and growth factors within the actual fat graft make reliable, reproducible and cosmetically excellent results possible using implants where previously much more complex reconstructive procedures were necessary.   

Fat grafting technique involves liposuction of fat from an area of excess before processing the fat and injecting it into the volume-depleted zone. Not all the transferred fat will survive and the rate of ‘fat graft take’ is dependent on several factors such as the location of the transfer, the method for processing the fat and the blood supply.  Due to these variables, patients may require more than one session of grafting to attain their desired result.