autologous fat tissue

Autologous fat tissue is a patient-derived adipose tissue used as a therapeutic grafting material for reconstructive, aesthetic, and regenerative purposes. The procedure, commonly known as autologous fat transfer (AFT) or lipofilling, involves harvesting adipose tissue via liposuction (typically from the abdomen or thighs), processing the lipoaspirate through centrifugation or filtration (using systems such as PureGraft), and reinjecting it into target recipient sites. In breast reconstruction, it serves as a minimally invasive alternative or adjunct to implants, often combined with external expansion devices (e.g., Brava or EveBra) to improve graft survival and skin quality, particularly in irradiated tissues. Beyond volume restoration, autologous fat tissue is utilized to correct contour deformities like temporal hollowing, alleviate persistent neuropathic pain following mastectomy (PPBCT), and treat symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Its therapeutic efficacy is attributed to both its physical volume-filling properties and the regenerative potential of its constituent adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), which facilitate tissue repair, angiogenesis, and immunomodulation.

Other names

autologous fat transferAFTautologous fat graftinglipofillingautogenous fat graftinglipostructureadipose tissue grafting