Adipose stromal vascular fraction isolation: a head-to-head comparison of four commercial cell separation systems

Supplementation of fat grafts with stromal vascular fraction cells is an emerging technique used to improve graft reliability. A variety of systems for isolating stromal vascular fraction cells are commercially available. The lack of performance data obtained operating the systems in a standardized environment prevents objective assessment of performance. This prospective, blinded study compared performance of four commercially available stromal vascular fraction isolation systems when operated in a clinical outpatient surgery environment.

Four different systems were compared: (1) PNC's Multi Station, (2) CHA Biotech Cha-Station, (3) Cytori Celution 800/CRS System, and (4) Medi-Khan's Lipokit with MaxStem. Identical lipoaspirate samples from five separate volunteer donors were used to evaluate system process time, viable cell yield, composition, residual enzyme, and operating costs.

The mean processing time ranged from 88 to 115 minutes. The highest mean number of viable nucleated cells was obtained using the Celution System (2.41 × 10 cells/g) followed by the Multi Station (1.07 × 10 cells/g). Lipokit and Cha-Station systems yielded nearly a log fewer nucleated cells (0.35 × 10 cells/g and 0.05 × 10 cells/g, respectively). The Celution System also yielded significantly more endothelial cells, CD34/CD31 cells, and adipose-derived stem cells (colony-forming unit-fibroblast). Residual enzyme levels observed with the Multi Station, Cha-Station, and Lipokit, respectively, averaged 5.1-, 13.0-, and 57-fold higher than that observed with the Celution System.

Although all systems generated measurable amounts of stromal vascular fraction, significant variability exists in the number, identity, and safety profiles of recovered viable cells. Side-by-side clinical trials will be required to establish the relevance of these differences.