Identification of High-Quality Fat Based on Precision Centrifugation in Lipoaspirates Using Marker Floats

Centrifugation creates "graded densities" of fat with varying cellular and biological compositions that influence graft retention. This study aimed to find an accurate method to identify fat fractions that are suitable for implantation.

Five marker floats (0.925, 0.930, 0.935, 0.940, and 0.945 g/ml) were added to human lipoaspirates that were then centrifuged at 1200 g for 3 minutes to grade the density of centrifuged lipoaspirates. After centrifugation, four fat fractions divided by floats were collected for fat characteristics analysis and in vivo grafting, with Coleman fat as a control.

Fat characteristics varied significantly between the centrifuged fat fractions divided by the 0.935-g/ml marker float. Compared with low-quality fat (<0.935 g/ml), high-quality fat (>0.935 g/ml) contains more stromal vascular fraction, adipose-derived stem cells, and extracellular matrix content. Furthermore, adipocytes were found to be significantly smaller in high-quality fat than in low-quality fat, and high-quality fat persisted at a greater volume compared with low-quality fat in vivo at week 12.

High-quality fat contains more stromal vascular fraction cells, extracellular matrix content, and small adipocytes, leading to the highest implant volume retention, whereas low-quality fat contains more fragile large adipocytes, leading to the least volume retention. Marker floats can be used to grade the density of lipoaspirates, with fat greater than 0.935 g/ml recommended as a suitable alternative for implantation.

Therapeutic, V.