Fat Injections Can Improve Breast Reconstruction ? Jury's Out on Augmentation

The study looked at 21 patients who had 42 fat transfers for contour deformities or wrinkling. The injections were performed an average of 9.9 months following reconstruction. The fat was taken from the patients' abdomen or upper thighs. The study found that fat injection to the breast for reconstruction is safe, improves breast shape, and corrects implant wrinkling.

While fat injection in breast reconstruction is more accepted because there is no breast tissue left after mastectomy, cosmetic use of fat injections to the breast remains controversial. At Plastic Surgery 2008, a panel entitled, "Should We Inject Fat into the Breast," will discuss and analyze the medical and legal risks, patient safety implications, as well as potential benefits of cosmetic fat injections to the breast.

Two reasons noted for the controversy: one, fat can "calcify" in the breast and obscure mammograms or possibly be mistaken for fibrous cancer growths. Two, it is unknown how much fat is needed to adequately enlarge a breast, if and how much of the injected fat will be absorbed by the body, or how much time the procedure will take.