Graft Processing and Enrichment Strategies

Abstract

Fat grafting is known to be a reliable method with application in a great number of cosmetic and clinical situations. However, the fat graft survival rate remains a major issue among researchers. The diversity of techniques described to process the adipose tissue before grafting (centrifugation, decantation, filtration, washing, and new proprietary systems) contributes to the variable retention rates obtained. Moreover, in recent years different enrichment techniques have been described (i.e., adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells or PRP enrichment) with the goal of increasing the fat graft retention. This chapter analyzes and compares the different processing techniques, as well as the enrichment strategies, and focuses on the evidence found for each method.