NESPS Home NESPS Annual Meeting
Annual Meeting Home
Final Program
Final Posters
Past & Future Meetings
 

 

Back to 2011 Posters


The Effect of Pressure in Autologous Fat Grafting
Jeffrey H. Lee, MD, John C. Kirkham, MD, Michael C. McCormack, MBA, Alexa M. Nicholls, BS, Mark A. Randolph, MS, William G. Austen, Jr., MD.
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: Fat grafting has become more prevalent because it often has low donor site morbidity, low complication rate, and fast recovery time. The optimal technique, however, has not yet been defined. One important variable that is often mentioned is pressure. In this study, we examined the role of aspiration and injection pressure on human fat grafts in our nude mouse model.
Methods: Aspiration Pressure: Tumescent liposuction was performed in the laboratory on fresh panniculectomy specimens with a 4mm cannula. Suction pressure was set to -15 inches Hg (-0.5 atmosphere) or -25 inches Hg (-0.83 atmosphere). Lipoaspirate was centrifuged at 1200G and injected into the flanks of nude mice with a 16 gauge angiocatheter. Injection Pressure: The injection pressure of slow flow rates (0.5-1cc/second) and fast flow rates (4-5cc/second) were also measured. Lipoaspirate was centrifuged at 1200G and injected into nude mice using low or high injection pressures. After 4 weeks, the fat lobules were analyzed for weight and histology.
Results: Aspiration Pressure: In vivo, high versus low suction pressures yielded similar weights and histology. Injection Pressure: In a 3 cc syringe, injecting fat at a faster versus slower rate achieved pressures of 2744 mmHg (3.61 atm) versus 549 mmHg (0.722 atm), respectively (p<0.001). In vivo, a low injection pressure yielded a 38% improvement in weight (p<0.001) over high injection pressure. This was also reflected in histology.
Conclusion: Changes in suction pressures did not affect fat grafts in vivo. Lobules injected with high pressure, however, did significantly worse relative to those injected with low pressure. These data suggest that it is injection pressure, and not suction pressure, that significantly affects fat graft survival.


Back to 2011 Posters

 

 
© 2024 Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy.