The current standard for breast augmentation involves placement of an implant. Although implants are generally safe, they are foreign bodies with inherent risks. In order to avoid an implant, surgeons and patients have been exploring breast augmentation using autologous tissue in the form of injectable fat. Early reports of autologous fat transplantation to the breast have been mixed, with increases in breast volume which have been generally modest.
At Georgetown University Hospital, I was part of a pilot study to establish the safety and efficacy of autologous fat grafting to the breast. We prospectively studied 10 consecutive patients undergoing augmentation mammoplasty using autologous fat transfer. Autologous fat was liposuctioned, processed, then infiltrated into multiple planes of the breast using blunt cannulas. Preoperative and postoperative measurements included – direct measurement, 2D and 3D images, and MRIs.