Autologous fat grafting is an important surgical technique in aesthetic and reconstructive procedures. Fat grafting for breast reconstruction is now an established procedure for adding volume and improving cutaneous pliability; it can be used independently to replace more invasive flap procedures or implants, or as an adjunct for smaller volume supplementation. The breadth of applications in the breast necessitates diversity in technique and approach, and while there is no universally agreed-upon protocol, basic principles have guided the evolution of some commonly adopted tenets. Broadly, fat grafting outcomes are highly favorable but dependent on patient and procedure factors, requiring learned patient selection and expertise in recipient site assessment. Common complications from fat grafting, such as fat necrosis and the development of nodules, are particularly troublesome for post-oncologic patients, requiring considerable pre-surgical consultation for patient education and managing expectations. In addition to volume and contour augmentation, fat grafting has additional beneficial effects that have recently drawn increased attention including pain reduction from implant capsular contracture or post-mastectomy pain syndrome, improved skin quality and reduced fibrosis following radiation, and possible anti-tumorigenic effects. New developments in clinical fat grafting research that are promising include the use of adipose progenitor cells admixed with lipoaspirate for improved volume retention or alternative biologics such as platelet-rich plasma. Preclinically, research towards safe and effective regenerative medicine approaches is actively underway, with the ultimate goal of achieving predictable and increased graft retention, reducing the number of required surgical procedures and enabling on-table results to reflect procedure outcomes.

Autologous fat grafting, or lipotransfer, is an important surgical approach to relocate adipose tissue within an individual to create volume. While used extensively in plastic and reconstructive surgery, significant drawbacks exist, including unpredictable volume retention. Thus, considerable research has been undertaken to identify surgical or therapeutic approaches that improve outcomes, primarily utilizing a xenograft immunocompromised mouse model. Large animal models are an important step in translating preclinical laboratory studies to the clinic, and previous studies utilizing pigs have been applied successfully for fat grafting research, but protocol variability exists across studies, and no previous publication has adequately described the impact of the swine breed on the experimental outcomes. In this report, we provide information on the critical attributes of the swine fat grafting model, including the following: (1) model selection; (2) donor site and surgical harvest approach; (3) tissue processing; (4) recipient site location and preparation; (5) post-operative care; and (6) longitudinal fat grafting assessments. Our experience comparing the use of Yorkshire and Yucatan breeds in our model showed that Yorkshire adipose tissue was fibrotic, extremely difficult to obtain through liposuction, and labor intensive to process into injectable formats. Alternatively, Yucatan adipose was more similar to human tissue, could be readily obtained through the surgical excision of inguinal fat pads, was amenable to mincing with surgical scissors, and yielded injectable tissue with a 95% efficiency. We determined that generation of a surgical pocket reduced the graft migration and spread, consequently facilitating the graft retrieval without significantly impacting retention. Using 5 cc grafts, the ultimate 3-month volume retention in 16 grafts was 19% ± 17% (or 1.14 cc ± 1.08 cc). While the use of ultrasound did not readily enable graft volume approximation during the study, it was a useful method to visualize the graft placement and ensure injection into the subcutaneous adipose layers.

Adipose stem cells are considered one of the primary drivers of autologous fat graft biological activity and survival. We have previously demonstrated that hormonally active VD3 improved adipose stem cell viability in ex vivo and in vivo fat grafting models. In this study, we evaluated the inactive form of VD3 (cholecalciferol) on adipose stromal cell (ASC) phenotype during hypoxia and the subsequent effect on human fat graft retention in the xenograft model. Lipoaspirate collected from six human donors was used for ex vivo particle culture studies and isolated ASC studies. Adipose particles were treated with increasing doses of VD3 to determine impact on ASC survival. Expanded stromal cells were treated with VD3 during hypoxic culture and assessed for viability, apoptosis, mitochondrial activity, and nitric oxide (NO) release via caspase, DAF-FM, or TMRM. Finally, 40 Nu/J mice receiving bilateral dorsal human lipoaspirate were treated thrice weekly with (1) vehicle control, (2) 50 ng calcitriol, (3) 50 ng VD3, (4) 500 ng VD3, and (5) 5,000 ng VD3 for 12 weeks, n = 8 per group. Graft weight, volume, and architecture were analyzed. Adipose particles treated with dose-escalating VD3 had significantly increased ASC viability compared with control ( P < 0.01). Under hypoxia, ASCs treated with 1 nM VD3 had significantly greater viability than untreated and pretreated cells ( P < 0.01, P < 0.01) and significantly lower apoptosis-to-viability ratio ( P < 0.01). ASCs pretreated with 1 nM VD3 had significantly lower NO release ( P < 0.05) and lower mitochondrial polarization ( P < 0.05) compared with controls. In vivo results showed mice receiving 5,000 ng VD3 had significantly greater graft weight ( P < 0.05) and volume ( P < 0.05) after 12 weeks of treatment compared with controls. Grafts had enhanced neovascularization, intact adipocyte architecture, and absence of oil cysts. VD3 is an over-the-counter nutritional supplement with a known safety profile in humans. Our xenograft model suggests administering VD3 at the time of surgery may significantly improve fat graft retention.

Background Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a major cause of cervical cancer, and effective vaccines have been developed to combat its impact. However, there is a lack of awareness among Egyptian women regarding HPV and its preventive measures. Methods This cross-sectional quantitative study aimed to explore factors influencing HPV awareness among Egyptian women. A survey was conducted to participants recruited from clinics at Alexandria University Hospitals in 2021. Inclusion criteria included being a woman aged 18 years or older. Data analysis involved a multivariable logistic regression model to assess associations between covariates and HPV awareness. Results The study included 99 participants, ranging from 18 to 55 years of age. The majority were married, had an education below high school, and had a monthly income between $100–300. Unmarried participants, those with higher education levels, and higher incomes demonstrated higher levels of HPV awareness. The logistic regression model indicated that education level and religiosity score were significant predictors of HPV awareness. Participants with higher education levels had 6.84 times higher odds of being aware of HPV, while those with higher religiosity scores had lower odds. Conclusion The results of this study highlight the need for programs that target less educated and highly religious populations to raise awareness about HPV and encourage HPV vaccination. Further studies should be conducted to better understand the complex interplay of demographic, cultural, and religious factors that influence HPV awareness and vaccination uptake.