History of breast augmentation with autologous fat

Abstract

The use of fat to augment the breast has been argued over the years as being detrimental to the patient. Despite the fact that direct injection of fat into the breast parenchyma has been avoided since 1989, there is still medical literature that contains misinformation. Now fat is injected into the pectoralis major submuscular space, into the muscle, and above the muscle but beneath the breast. Delay in diagnosis of breast cancer has never been reported in the medical literature. Experienced mammographers can distinguish between benign (from fat necrosis) and malignant calcifications almost all the time, and stereotactic needle biopsy can be performed if necessary, just as is done with calcifications following breast reduction. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.