Cell-Assisted Lipotransfer for Facial Lipoatrophy: Efficacy ... : Dermatologic Surgery (original) (raw)

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Efficacy of Clinical Use of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

YOSHIMURA, KOTARO MD*; SATO, KATSUJIRO MD†; AOI, NORIYUKI MD*; KURITA, MASAKAZU MD‡; INOUE, KEITA MD*; SUGA, HIROTAKA MD*; ETO, HITOMI MD*; KATO, HARUNOSUKE MD*; HIROHI, TOSHITSUGU MD§; HARII, KIYONORI MD‡

*Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo; †Cellport Clinic Yokohama, Yokohama; †Department of Plastic Surgery, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo; §Ritz Cosmetic Surgery Clinic Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Kotaro Yoshimura, MD, Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Tokyo School of Medicine; 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan, or e-mail: [email protected]

The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.

Abstract

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.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that CAL is both effective and safe and potentially superior to conventional lipoinjection for facial recontouring.