Lactation History Affects Postoperative Fat Volume Retention Rate in Autologous Fat Grafting Breast Augmentation

Autologous fat grafting has been widely used in the field of plastic surgery, especially breast aesthetic augmentation. However, postoperative fat volume retention rate is still difficult to predict.

The authors conducted a retrospective study to compare the fat volume retention rate in patients with varying lactation histories.

A retrospective study was performed of patients who underwent autologous fat grafting breast augmentation in our center from 2012 to 2018. Individuals were separated into two groups according to their lactation history: Group A without a history of lactation and Group B with a history of lactation.

A total of 70 cases (137 breasts) were included (Group A, n = 40; Group B, n = 30). Patients without lactation history were younger (Group A, 25.88 years; Group B, 36.03 years, p < 0.05) and had a significantly lower mean body mass index (Group A,19.72 kg/m²; Group B, 20.83 kg/m², p = 0.010). The proportion of donor sites varied (Group A, abdomen 25%, thigh 70%; Group B, abdomen 53.33%, thigh 46.67%, p < 0.05). The percentage of tissue volume retained of patients with a history of lactation was significantly higher (Group A, 30.42%; Group B, 41.03%, p = 0.028).

Significant differences in postoperative volume retention rate in different patients based on lactation history were observed. The volume retention rate after breast augmentation with autologous fat is higher in patients with a history of lactation. The physiological process of lactation may influence the response to autologous fat grafting, but further studies of the mechanism are needed.

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