Autologous Fat Grafting for Wound Treatment: A Review of the Literature and Case Series
摘要
Injuries of various etiologies, including infections, burns or mechanical trauma, initiate intricate cellular processes that facilitate the complex mechanism of wound healing to restore appearance as well as functionality. The process of wound healing includes the inflammatory, proliferative, and the remodeling phase, encompassing an interplay of various cell types and signaling molecules. If parts of this mechanism fail, conventional therapeutical methods such as specific wound dressing may support the process of wound healing. Nevertheless, there are patients experiencing chronic wounds, hypertrophic scars, or even keloids. To address these persisting challenges in wound healing, alternative strategies must be explored. With its regenerative abilities, fat grafting has undergone significant advancements in the recent years. Owing to their ability to regenerate and undergo differentiation into various cell lineages, adipose-derived stem cells present a valuable advantage in the context of wound healing. Due to their pro-angiogenic properties, these cells have major impact on the neovascularization in wounds and promote reepithelialization and granulation. This has been proven in numerous studies, consistently revealing accelerated wound closure in comparison to control groups. There is evidence supporting the utility of fat grafts in the treatment of lacerations and chronic wounds, burns, and scars as well as in radiation injuries among other indications. This review identifies an alternative treatment strategy for persisting wounds and sheds light on the regenerative abilities of fat grafts in the context of wound healing. Our case series aim to substantiate the benefits of fat grafting in the treatment of specific wounds.