Microfat grafting: the nurse's role

Fat tissue is a complex and delicate structure that is easily damaged by mechanical and chemical insults. Structural microfat grafting involves the atraumatic harvest, cleansing, preparation, separation, and transplantation of small numbers of fat cells. The microfat grafting technique has been shown to successfully correct contour problems without resorption of the fat cells. Early work with fat transplantation, when the fat was injected subcutaneously or transplanted in bulk, was disappointing with significant loss of volume from central fat necrosis. Recent refinements in fat transplantation advocate the use of 1 to 2 mm threads of fat. This technique has been shown to improve contour problems or augment normal facial anatomy without resorption of the fat cells.