Fat grafting, also known as autologous fat transfer or lipofilling, has become an increasingly popular method for soft tissue augmentation in reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries, including post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. The technique involves harvesting fat from one part of the body and injecting it into another to restore or augment volume.
The success of fat grafting surgery is gauged in terms of fat retention: how much of the grafted fat survives and integrates into the recipient site. This measure varies based on several factors, including the surgeon's technique, the area being grafted, and individual patient variations.
On average:
- The fat retention rate after grafting is reported to range from **50% to 80%**.
- The upper end of the scale implies that up to 80% of the transferred fat becomes permanent, while the lower end suggests that half of it might be reabsorbed by the body.
However, it's important to note that:
- **Multiple Sessions Might be Needed**: It's not uncommon for patients to require multiple fat grafting sessions to achieve the desired result due to the variable resorption rate.
- **Technique Matters**: Proper handling and processing of the harvested fat, ensuring minimal trauma during injection, and maintaining a rich blood supply to the recipient site can all improve fat survival rates.
- **Location Variability**: Some areas of the body might have better fat retention rates than others. For instance, fat grafting in the face, especially the lips, might have a lower retention rate compared to the buttocks or breasts.
*Factors Influencing Fat Retention:
Several factors can influence how much of the grafted fat will survive:
- Patient Health: Smoking, for instance, can negatively impact blood circulation, leading to reduced fat graft survival.
- Graft Size: Larger fat grafts might have lower survival rates since the innermost fat cells could be deprived of nutrients.
- Technique: As mentioned, the technique used to harvest, process, and inject the fat can play a significant role.
It's crucial for anyone considering fat grafting surgery to have a comprehensive discussion with their plastic surgeon about expectations, potential outcomes, and the likelihood of needing multiple sessions. While advancements in techniques continue to improve fat grafting's success rates, understanding the inherent variability in outcomes is vital for patient satisfaction.