Background: An up-to-date, simple, but useful technique to evaluate the viability of fat grafts prior to transplant is lacking. The purpose of this study is to introduce the glucose transport test - a new method to evaluate the viability of fat grafts after they are subjected to different centrifugal forces in vitro.
Method: Fat grafts were harvested from healthy patients who underwent liposuction for body contouring. The glucose transport test was performed to evaluate the viability of fat grafts after centrifugation with different forces (1000-4000 rpm). An MTT assay was also performed with the same experimental protocol for comparison. Routine histological examination was done in all groups to examine possible structural destruction after centrifugation.
Results: When compared with the group not subjected to centrifugation, the glucose transport test showed a significant decrease in viability of fat grafts in all of the other four groups (all p<0.001). There was a linear reduction of viability in fat grafts with the increase in centrifugal force (all p<0.03). MTT assay showed similar findings on the viability of fat grafts in all five groups and correlated well with the glucose transport test (r=0.9870). Histology showed significantly distorted and fractured adipocytes when the centrifugal force reached 4000 rpm.
Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the harmful effect on the viability of fat grafts with an increase in centrifugal force and, for the first time, that the glucose transport test may be an effective and potentially useful method to evaluate the viability of fat grafts in a clinical setting.
(c) 2008 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. All rights reserved.