Cell-assisted lipotransfer for facial lipoatrophy: efficacy of clinical use of adipose-derived stem cells.
BACKGROUND
Lipoinjection is a promising treatment, but its efficacy in recontouring facial lipoatrophy remains to be established.


OBJECTIVE
The objective was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of lipoinjection and supplementation of adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ASCs) to adipose grafts.


METHODS
To overcome drawbacks of autologous lipoinjection, we have developed a novel strategy called cell-assisted lipotransfer (CAL). In CAL, stromal vascular fraction containing ASCs was freshly isolated from half of an aspirated fat sample and attached to the other half of aspirated fat sample with the fat acting as a scaffold. This process converts relatively ASC-poor aspirated fat into ASC-rich fat. We performed conventional lipoinjection (non-CAL; n=3) or CAL (n=3) on six patients with facial lipoatrophy due to lupus profundus or Parry-Romberg syndrome.


RESULTS
All patients obtained improvement in facial contour, but the CAL group had a better clinical improvement score than did the non-CAL patients, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (p=.11). Adipose necrosis was found in one non-CAL case who took perioperative oral corticosteroids.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that CAL is both effective and safe and potentially superior to conventional lipoinjection for facial recontouring. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.
Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. yoshimura-pla@h.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Kotaro
K
Yoshimura
Katsujiro
K
Sato
Noriyuki
N
Aoi
Masakazu
M
Kurita
Keita
K
Inoue
Hirotaka
H
Suga
Hitomi
H
Eto
Harunosuke
H
Kato
Toshitsugu
T
Hirohi
Kiyonori
K
Harii
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D000328:Adult; D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D005145:Face / Q000601:surgery*; D005150:Facial Hemiatrophy / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015187:Lipectomy; D008297:Male; D015435:Panniculitis, Lupus Erythematosus / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D016896:Treatment Outcome