Our results differ from previously published studies in that no beneficial effect on necrosis rates of was found after implementing LA-ICGA, possibly due to our limited sample size.

Several surgical procedures exist in regard to reconstruction of the breast after mastectomy. The use of Brava a vacuum-based external soft-tissue expansion system in combination with fat transplantation is a less documented but viable option in treating patients after mastectomy. We share our experience in treating a 57-year-old patient with mastectomy, describing the complications and pitfalls we experienced when using the Brava system in combination with fat transplantation.

Deformities in the craniofacial region are of great social and functional importance. Several surgical techniques have been used to treat such pathologies often with high morbidity and lacking the ability to address smaller contour defects. The minimally invasive technique of fat transplantation has evolved rapidly within the last few decades. The objective of this paper is to present the versatility and applicability of fat transplantation in a wide range of contour deformities in the craniofacial region. We share our experiences in treating 13 patients with autoimmune disorders, congenital malformations, and acquired defects. Future perspectives of fat transplantation in the field of craniofacial reconstruction are discussed.

Background: Adipose tissue–derived stem cells are of great interest because of their properties of immune modulation, tissue regeneration, and multipotent differentiation. To advance development of stem cell–based treatments, determination of the physiologic concentration of adipose tissue–derived stem cells in human adipose tissue is relevant for proper guidance of stem cell treatment dosage, oncologic safety, and evaluation of efficacy. Methods: A prospective comparative case-control study of 20 patients was conducted to determine the yield of adipose tissue–derived stem cells in periumbilical adipose tissue harvested by the widely used method of aspiration and in structurally intact adipose tissue harvested by excision. Stem cells were isolated using conventional enzymatic digestion and by a method combining enzymatic digestion with mechanical distortion. Stem cell yield was quantified by multicolor flow cytometry and colony-forming capacity. Results: When only the conventional enzymatic digestion was used, no significant difference in adipose tissue–derived stem cell yield was observed. However, when enzymatic digestion was combined with mechanical distortion, twice as many stem cells were isolated from excised adipose tissue compared to aspirated adipose tissue. Inclusion of mechanical distortion significantly increased yield 5-fold in excised adipose tissue and 2-fold in aspirated adipose tissue. Combining enzymatic digestion and mechanical distortion, measured levels of excised adipose tissue reached 140 × 103 (95 percent CI, 62 to 220 × 103) adipose tissue–derived stem cells per gram of adipose tissue that corresponded to 26 × 103 (95 percent CI, 18 to 33 × 103) colony-forming units per gram. Conclusions: The study indicates that harvesting by aspiration halves the concentration of adipose tissue–derived stem cells in adipose tissue samples when compared to structural intact adipose tissue. Furthermore, the study presents stem cell yield higher than previously described in the current literature. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, V.