title: Histological findings of an autologous dermal fat graft implanted onto the pectoralis major muscle of a rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the maintenance of volume as a spacer by comparing vascular supply and apoptosis in an implanted autologous-free dermal fat graft (FDFG) and free fat graft (FFG). An autologous FDFG is a material used in plastic surgery and oncoplastic breast surgery that is ideal for immediate volume replacement after partial mastectomy because of its easy availability and minimal invasion of the donor site; however, immunohistochemical findings and survival procedures have not yet been reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  An experimental protocol using a unique animal model was designed for the present study. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was measured in FDFGs and FFGs implanted onto the pectoral major muscle of Wistar rats. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into two groups and postoperatively 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks (POW1, 2, 4, 8, 16). Six samples from three rats in each group were used as control samples (POW0).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The thickness of the implanted FDFG was not significantly different from the control sample at POW1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 between FDFG and FFG group; however, the thickness at POW8 and 16 was significantly lesser in the FFG group than in the control samples. The average proportion of fatty tissue to whole tissue ranged from 34.2 to 48.6 % in the FDFG group and from 57.2 to 76.7 % in the FFG group during the observation period; however, there was no significant difference in the proportion of fatty tissue between these two groups. There were no significant differences between the average number of VEGF-positive cells in the FDFG group and the FFG group at POW1, 2, 4, 8, and 16. The average number of TUNEL-positive cells in the early period at POW1 was significantly lower in the FDFG group than in the FFG group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This rat model was useful for investigating the mechanisms of angiogenesis, apoptosis, structure maintenance, and fibromatous changes. From the present experimental study, we believe that FDFG is one of the most convenient materials currently available to repair small defects at the time of BCS even in the clinical field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizoguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan. ykijima@m3.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kijima
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Munetsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arima
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakajo
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Pathology, Department of Oncology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Pathology, Department of Oncology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Chihaya
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koriyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arigami
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uenosono
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Kosei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maemura
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Sumiya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishigami
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Heiji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshinaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shinden
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Natsugoe
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000637:transplantation; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000637:transplantation*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat
keywords: Apoptosis; Breast cancer; Breast-conserving surgery; Cosmesis; Free dermal fat graft; Oncoplastic surgery; Rat model; VEGF