• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2020

Background: Autologous fat is considered an ideal filler material, and the use of cryopreserved fat grafts is promising in terms of flexibility and efficiency. Therefore, cryopreserved fat grafts have become more common in recent years; however, their complications require further consideration. Methods: We evaluated 53 patients who underwent facial lipofilling at our institution to confirm the clinical usefulness and safety of cryopreserved fat. Fresh fat injections with or without cryopreserved fat were administered. At one or more sites, 22 patients had a single fresh fat injection, four patients had two or more fresh fat injections, 16 patients had one fresh fat injection followed by one cryopreserved fat injection, six patients had one fresh fat injection followed by two cryopreserved fat injections, and five patients had two fresh fat injections and one or more cryopreserved fat injections. Results: In total, 281 sets of injection procedures were performed at various sites, of which 170 involved one fresh fat injection, 89 involved one fresh fat injection and one cryopreserved fat injection, and 11 involved one fresh fat injection and two cryopreserved fat injections. One patient experienced self-resolving inflammation as a complication after the second injection in the right cheek. No statistically significant differences were found between the fresh and cryopreserved fat injections. Conclusion: We suggest that cryopreserved fat is a useful and safe resource for multiple fat injections, with advantages including aseptic fat handling and the delicacy of the technique.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.471-479
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• 2008

Purpose: Sunken eyelid is a deformity of upper eyelid due to atrophy of periocular fat tissue, loss of skin elasticity. It causes the skin retraction of eyelid and unfavorable fold. Sunken eyelid occurs from the results of natural aging process, facial trauma, complication of previous periocular surgery, etc. We acquired a satisfied correction of sunken eyelid and unfavorable fold using autologous fat injection only. The aim of this study is a assessment of autologous fat injection for correction of sunken eyelid accompanied with unfavorable fold. Methods: From August 2002 to March 2006, we performed 37 cases of correction of sunken eyelid with unfavorable fold using autologous fat injection. They were all females with ages ranged from 23 to 63. Fat was harvested from lower abdomen and centrifuged with Coleman system. Multi-layered injection of purified fat was done from orbital fat layer to orbicularis oculi muscle. Results: Overall, improvement of sunken eye and unfavorable fold was observed in the majority of the patients. Discomfort of eye opening was improved in 24 patients. The average injection volume was 1.33 mL in right eyelid, 1.31 mL in left eyelid at first injection. Second injection was done in patients who absorption of injected fat was noted with. No specific complications were observed. Conclusion: Natural and attractive upper eyelid was acquired from fat injection only in sunken eyelid with unfavorable fold. To the authors' knowledge, it is desirable for sunken eyelid accompanied with unfavorable fold to be treated with autologous fat injection at first. Although some shortcomings are substantial, autologous fat injection is easy and effective method for correction of unfavorable fold in sunken eyelid without specific complication.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.166-172
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• 2011

Purpose: Facial contouring surgery for improving congenital, acquired deformity and senile change were attempt in past. Recently contouring surgery became more interested subject for improving the flat forehead and temple area. Many synthetic materials were used such as Collagen, silicon, polyacrylamide gel as liquid form and Gore-tex, silicon implant, endotine as solid form. But, these synthetic implants associate complications as foreign body reaction, infection, displacement, granuloma formation and absorption. Auto-fat injection are used for disfigurement of many part of body. We did auto-fat injection for facial contouring of forehead and temple region. Auto-fat injection is suitable without foreign body reaction, displacement, and toxic reaction. Also auto-fat is relatively simple to obtain from patient and less expensive and able to repeat surgeries. Methods: From 2006 to 2009, 150 patients were treated with Auto-fat injection for facial contouring. For follow up, we sent questionnaire to all patients but 110 patients returned answer sheets. The patients consisted of 20 male patients and 90 female patients with an age ranged from 26 to 60, and the mean 43. Fat tissue were injected 6-8 cc in forehead, 7-12 cc in temple area and fat were harvested from thigh and abdomen. Results: In follow up, all patients, showed absorption of injected fat varied degree and except two patients all patients underwent secondary fat injection. Complications were minimal and neuropraxia of facial nerve were recovered. Most of the patients were satisfied with result of procedure, and answered that they recommend same procedure to their friends and will do surgery again. Conclusion: Auto-fat injections were implemented for facial contouring in 150 patients and obtained satisfactory result. Auto-fat injection is relatively easy procedure and applicable widely. Even though, by passing time, some of the injected fats are absorbed, auto-fat injection could be choice of treatment for contouring forehead and temple. With accumulations of cases and development of surgical technique, better result could be expected.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2011

Purpose: Even though Augmentation rhinoplasty is very popular surgical procedure, it is not easy to obtain ideal materials for augmentation. Many different synthetic materials are used but frequent complications are seen such as infection, extrusion, deform, and dislocation. Autologous tissues were used for augmentation rhinoplasty. We used dermofat graft and fat injection in augmentation rhinoplasty minimizing these problems. Methods: From 2006 to 2009, we used autologous tissues in augmentation rhinoplasty in 40 patients, 20 patients with dermofat graft and other 20 patients were treated with fat injection only. Dermofats were harvested from sacral area. gluteal fold, groin and preexisting scar tissue. Dermofats were inserted with small stab wound and fat tissues were injected as Coleman's technique. The patients were followed up 6 months to 5 years. Results: Most of the patients were satisfied in shape and height the nose. Early complications such as hematoma, infection and seroma were not found. Secondary fat injection was performed in 3 patients (15%) of dermofat graft group instead of 7 patients (35%) of fat injection only group. Conclusion: We obtained satisfactory results in augmentation rhinoplasty with dermofat graft and fat injection. Secondary fat injections were more often in fat injection group than dermofat graft group. Dermofat graft and fat injection could be another alternative technique for augmentation rhinoplasty and fat injection could be a secondary adjunctive treatment for undercorrection due to absorption.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.3
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• pp.18-25
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• 1998

Background: The results of treatment in functional velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) was not good compared to physician's common practice. Objectives: Authors conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy of fat injection on posterior pharyngeal wall in the functional velopharyngeal insufficiency as the supportive treatment. Materials and Methods: The preoperative assessment includes history of patients, the perceptual analysis of patient's voice, nasopharyngoscopic finding of velopharyngeal movements, nasometer, movement findings of soft palate during phonation and swalling. Fat which was taken from umbilical area was injected in 5 patients with conducted functional velopharyngeal insufficiency. Results: All 5 patients had good results in voice quality after fat injection. Conclusions: Fat injection is a good treatment method in functional velopharyngeal insufficiency as a supportive method.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.489-492
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• 2009

Purpose: Autologous fat injection is ideal for patients who wish to add contour, projection and gross volumization of the aging, atrophic face and is claimed to be a safe procedure. However, there are several case reports in the literature where patients have suffered from acute visual loss and cerebral infarction after facial fat injection. This paper will explore a rare case of vessel related complication, an arteriovenous fistula that occurs after fat injection on forehead. Method: A 28 - year - old female who showed a non - tender, soft $1.0{\times}2.5cm$ sized mass on forehead for 3 weeks. A thrill could be detected on the totuous dilatated vessel - like structure around the mass. She had a fat injection on forehead for soft tissue augmentation 3 months prior to developing the mass. 3 - dimensional brain CT angiography showed arteriovenous fistula. Results: The fistula is totally excised with ligation of feeding vessels. Pathology report showed an atypical vessel which had intimal thickening, myxoid degeneration and thrombus formation. There were no evidences of recurrence at least for 2 months of follow - up. Conclusion: An occurrence of arteriovenous fistula after autologous fat injection is very rare. After perforation of artery and vein by coincidence, blood extravasates with the formation of a hematoma capsule and a pseudocapsule around it. The hematoma capsule would expand and clot would reabsorb resulting in a cavity leading to fistula formation. Other vessel related complications like acute visual loss or cerebral infarction are very severe. Therefore, surgeons should be cautious during facial fat injection to avoid vessel injuries.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.663-666
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• 2007

Purpose: Autologous fat injection into the facial area is a frequently used technique in aesthetic plastic surgery for augmentation of the soft tissue. Fat injection is a very safe procedure because of the advantage of being autologous tissue. Minimal foreign body reaction or infections are noted after fat injection. However, there may be some complications including those as severe as blindness. There have been some case reports on visual disturbances after autologous fat injection reported in the literature. Methods: A 21-year-old female patient underwent autologous fat injection into left eyebrow area to correct depression of soft tissue. Immediately after injection of autologous fat, she complained sudden visual loss on the left eye. She had come to our emergency room and ophthalmologic evaluation showed that the patient could only recognize hand motion. There was no abnormality of the optic nerve on magnetic resonance imaging. Suspecting an ischemic optic neuritis from fat embolism of the central retinal artery, the patient was treated conservatively with occular massage, antiglaucomatic agent, anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics. Visual field examination showed visual defect of half the lower hemisphere. Results: While maintaining antiglaucomatic agents and non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, fundoscopic examination showed no abnormalities on the second day of admission. Visual field examination showed an improvement on the fourth day along with decreased eyeball pain. Significant improvement of vision was noted and the patient was discharged on the fifth day of admission. The patient was followed-up 2 days afterwards with improved vision and visual field defect. Conclusion: We describe an unusual case of sudden unilateral visual disturbance following autologous fat injection into periorbital area.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.677-685
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• 2015

Background The survival rate of grafted fat is difficult to predict, and repeated procedures are frequently required. In this study, the effects of the freezing period of harvested adipose tissue and the addition of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) on the process of fat absorption were studied. Methods Adipose tissue was obtained from patients who underwent a lipoaspirated fat graft. The fat tissue was cryopreserved at $-20^{\circ}C$ in a domestic refrigerator. A total of 40 nude mice were used. The mice in the experimental group received three different subcutaneous injections in the back: an injection of fresh fat and ASCs, an injection of fat that had been frozen for one month and ASCs, and an injection of fat that had been frozen for two months and ASCs. The control mice received fat grafts without ASCs. The mice were sacrificed at four or eight weeks after the procedure, and the grafted fat tissues were harvested. The extracted fat was evaluated using photographic analysis, volume measurements, and histological examination. Results In the control group, the fat resorption rates four weeks after transplantation in the grafts of fresh fat, fat that had been frozen for one month, and fat that had been frozen for two months were 21.14%, 22.46%, and 42.56%, respectively. In the experimental group, the corresponding resorption rates were 6.68%, 13.0%, and 33.9%, respectively. Conclusions ASCs can increase the fat graft survival rate. The use of ASCs in fat grafting can reduce the need for repeated fat grafts and provide good long term results.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.861-866
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• 2011

Purpose: Together with the breast, buttocks are an important element of attractive body contour. To make a beautiful buttocks, improvement of body contour around the buttock as well as buttock augmentation and lifting is also important. The authors investigated characteristic features of buttocks in Koreans and report about the results of liposculpture and autologous fat injection for improving buttock's contour. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 21 patients who would like to gluteal reshaping. We checked about buttock's ptosis, projection, depression, gluteal retraction and excessive fat accumulation around buttocks. Depending on it, we performed liposculpture and autologous fat injection. Under general anesthesia, we harvested fat from excessive fat accumulation areas around buttocks, and injected into buttocks medio-superiorly. Postoperatively, pillows were positioned on the bed not to press the buttocks which were injected with the fat. Results: Based on the shape of buttocks, A-shape is seen in 4 cases (19%), V-shape 3 cases (14%), squareshape 9 cases (43%), round-shape 5 cases (24%). Based on the Gonzalez's ptosis grading method, 1 degree ptosis is 1 case (4%), 2 degree ptosis is 6 cases (29%), 3 degree ptosis is 8 cases (38%), 4 degree ptosis is 6 cases (29%). There were no complications such as infection, hematoma, pain, dysparethesia. The subjective assessment of surgical results by patients was excellent. Conclusion: To make a beautiful buttock, improvement of body contour around the buttock as well as buttock augmentation and lifting is also important. Liposculpture and autologous fat grafting are very safe, useful and easy methods for improving buttock's contour.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2015

For recent years, use of autologous fat injection has increased significantly in facial contouring surgery. Along with such increase in use, complications like atypical mycoplasma infection have been also on the increasing trend. The authors report two cases of Mycobacterium chelonae infection that occurred after autologous fat injection. Patients were treated as infection that resistant to common antibiotics and results were negative to routine culture and Gram staining. Acid-fast bacillus stain, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and mycobacterial cultures were conducted for diagnosis under suspicion of atypical mycoplasma infection. Then, combination antibiotics therapy, surgical treatment, and steroid injection were performed for treatment. Both patients were diagnosed with Mycobacterium chelonae in PCR test. They were positive to mycobacterial cultures. Combination antibiotics therapy was repeated to improvement of symptom. However, they could not be free from side effects such as deformation in facial contour, scar and pigmentation even after full recovery. When chronic wound infections after autologous fat injection, we must suspect atypical or mycobacterial infection and conduct examinations for a early diagnosis and proper antibiotic therapy that is effective to the nontuberculous mycobacteria.