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Updated: Jan 18, 2026
Autologous Microfractured and Purified Adipose Tissue for Arthroscopic Management of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus
Published on: January 23, 2018
Autologous Fat Infiltration as an Adjuvant Procedure in Temporomandibular Arthroscopic Surgery. Technical Note
Almudena Cabello Serrano1, Fernando Pérez Salazar, Carmen Camacho Sánchez-Mora
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Carretera de Jaén s/n, Granada, Spain.
Objective:
To describe a novel technique of autologous fat transfer as an adjunct to advanced arthroscopy for the management of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Methods:
During TMJ arthroscopy under general anesthesia, standard techniques were performed (subsynovial infiltration of anesthetic/corticosteroid, medial wall osteoplasty, and high myotomy of the lateral pterygoid muscle). Concurrently, autologous adipose tissue (∼2 cc/joint) was harvested from the periumbilical region. The fat was mechanically processed through repeated passage between syringes using a Luer-Lock connector to reduce particle size, enabling injection into the superior joint space under arthroscopic vision.
Results:
Integrating autologous fat infiltration with advanced arthroscopic techniques provides a minimally invasive approach that combines mechanical effects (viscoelastic cushioning) and biological benefits (immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and trophic properties of adipose-derived stem cells). This protocol permits comprehensive management of TMJ internal derangement, including advanced stages.
Conclusion:
Autologous fat transfer as an adjunct to advanced arthroscopy represents a safe, effective innovation with low donor-site morbidity. This is the first described protocol combining both techniques, expanding minimally invasive treatment options for complex TMJ pathologies.
