Free fat transplantation for facial tissue augmentation

Purpose: This article reviews the lipofilling technique using a fat tissue suspension obtained by manual or vacuum machine-assisted suction. Patients and Methods: Between 1989 and 1997 14 patients were treated by lip ofilling. All patients were female; 6 were treated for cheek and zygomatic area augmentation for Romberg syndrome (2 cases) and bilateral facial lipod ystrophy (4 cases); 4 were treated for nasolabial fold correction, 3 for li p augmentation, and 1 for correction of systemic lupus erythematosus (LES) scars. Results: Good results were obtained in the treatment of the moderate Romber g syndrome case, with 3 stages of fat tissue transplantation from the abdom inal area, in the severe Romberg syndrome case that was treated with 3 stag es of lipofilling after a primary surgical procedure consisting of augmenta tion of the zygomatic region using a composite temporal flap of calvaria bo ne and temporal muscle, in the 4 cases of bilateral facial lipodistrophy, a nd in the 4 cases of nasolabial fold correction with 3 to 4 stages of lipof illing. Poor results were obtained in lip augmentation, and bad results wer e obtained in correction of the LES scars. Conclusions: Using the lipofilling technique with cannulas of 3 to 4 mm in diameter and low-power manual aspiration to preserve the integrity of the f at cells, good results were achieved in 10 of the 14 patients treated. The poor results occurred in areas of reduced vascularity and high motility.