Current uses of adipose grafting with platelet-rich plasma

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study was to analyze fat grafting with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the context of volume replacement and scar hypertrophy improvement in a variety of different cases.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 40 patients who underwent a total of 50 fat grafting with PRP procedures by a single surgeon between October 2019 and October 2022. Fat was generally harvested from the abdomen, thighs, or flanks using an enclosed power-assisted system or Toomey syringes with 3.0 or 3.7 mm cannulas. The fat with PRP was grafted into various sites using a 0.9 mm Tulip single port injection cannula for faces/small defects. Of the 50 cases reviewed, the injection sites were as follows: 20 cases of injections into scars (hypertrophic scars, burn/trauma scars, and scars from hidradenitis suppurativa), 15 injections to the face [to replenish volume lost by aging and two cases for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) facial atrophy], 6 injections to the breasts, 4 injections to keloids, 4 injections to buttocks, and 1 case of injection to the nose.

Results: Overall, for all sites, the average amount of fat harvested was 360 mL, and the average amount of fat with PRP grafted was 96 mL. Of the face grafts, the average amount of fat grafted was 20 mL. The overall complication rate in our cohort was 2%, occurring only in one patient who developed cellulitis after fat grafting to the breast. There were no cases of embolization. The patients showed excellent improvement in volume and significant cosmetic improvement of scars.

Conclusion: Patients who underwent autologous fat grafting with PRP had favorable volume replacement and improvement in scarring deformity following the procedure. Fat grafting with PRP was found to be a safe and reliable technique to address various volume and skin concerns.

Keywords

Adipose grafting / fat grafting / platelet-rich plasma

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