Background: Although injective autologous fat transplantation is one of the most attractive options for soft-tissue augmentation, problems such as unpredictability and fibrosis resulting from fat necrosis limit its universal acceptance. Centrifugation is one of most common methods for overcoming these difficulties. This study was performed to investigate quantitatively the effects of centrifugation on liposuction aspirates to optimize centrifugal conditions for fat transplantation and isolation of adipose-derived stem cells.
Methods: Liposuction aspirates, obtained from eight healthy female donors, were either not centrifuged or centrifuged at 400, 700, 1200, 3000, or 4200 g for 3 minutes. The volumes of the oil, adipose, and fluid portions and numbers of blood cells and adipose-derived cells in each portion were examined. The processed adipose tissues (1 ml) were injected into athymic mice, and grafts were harvested and weighed at 4 weeks. Morphologic alterations were observed using light and scanning electron microscopy.
Results: Centrifugation concentrated adipose tissues and adipose-derived stem cells in the adipose portion and partly removed red blood cells from the adipose portion. Centrifugation at more than 3000 g significantly damaged adipose-derived stem cells. Centrifugation enhanced graft take per 1 ml centrifuged adipose but reduced calculated graft take per 1 ml adipose before centrifugation.
Conclusions: Excessive centrifugation can destroy adipocytes and adipose-derived stem cells, but appropriate centrifugation concentrates them, resulting in enhanced graft take. The authors tentatively recommend 1200 g as an optimized centrifugal force for obtaining good short- and long-term results in adipose transplantation.