Safety of fat grafting in secondary breast reconstruction after cancer.
BACKGROUND
Fat grafting is largely used to correct soft-tissue defects in any region of the human body. This study analysed its safety when the technique is used to correct defects after breast-cancer reconstruction.


METHODS
A total of 158 patients who underwent 194 breast fat grafting procedures were analysed. Almost all patients (98%) had a personal history of breast cancer: conservative surgery or mastectomy with breast reconstruction. In all cases, fat grafting was performed according to the Coleman's technique by a single surgeon.


RESULTS
Immediate complications included liponecrosis and infection in seven cases (3.6%) that required only daily dressings and oral antibiotics administration. In cases of fat grafting after conservative surgery, only four patients (5.9%) showed minor alterations in the postoperative mammograms, consisting of the appearance of benign images.


CONCLUSIONS
Breast fat grafting can be a good solution to repair defects after breast-cancer treatment and reconstruction, and can reduce the indication for more extensive surgeries such as myocutaneous flaps. Postoperative complication rates are very low and there is little alteration in follow-up mammograms. Two points remain unclear--how much of the fat is absorbed after grafting and the potential risk of local 'dormant' tumour cells being stimulated to induce a local recurrence.
Rietjens
M
M
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy. mario.rietjens@ieo.it
De Lorenzi
F
F
Rossetto
F
F
Brenelli
F
F
Manconi
A
A
Martella
S
S
Intra
M
M
Venturino
M
M
Lohsiriwat
V
V
Ahmed
Y
Y
Petit
J Y
JY
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000637:transplantation*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult