Has anyone had micro fat grafting?

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Mouse6
Mouse6 Member Posts: 246
edited November 2016 in Breast Reconstruction

I have just been told about a procedure called micro fat grafting where the surgeon takes fat via liposuction from other areas of the body and transplants the fat into the breast to reconstruct. Has anyone had this procedure done? If so, I would love to hear your experience with it. Thanks.

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  • klp1
    klp1 Member Posts: 56
    edited February 2010

    To my knowledge, fat grafting via liposuction is used to fluff up areas that need more shape or to fill in divots.  I don't think a whole breast can be created this way, however.  Any type of tissue transfer needs a blood supply to survive.  If I'm wrong, please correct me!

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  • geysermom
    geysermom Member Posts: 133
    edited February 2010

    I am having micro fat grafting 2/4.  My fat grafting is to revise implant reconstruction.  The surgeon plans three procedures to fill in some very small hollow areas above the implants.

    I can't imagine this procedure to do anything more than fill in small areas especially if I will need three procedures to fill in such tiny areas. 

    Am I misunderstanding?  Is your procedure for revision or to make a new breast?

    Julie

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  • Mouse6
    Mouse6 Member Posts: 246
    edited February 2010

    It's to create whole breasts. Apparently it can be done, and supposedly, the body does create a blood supply to the fat. There's a doctor in Toronto who does it. I have a consultation booked in March, but I've only talked to one person who has had it done. She is really happy with her results. She had both breasts created from her own fat tissues. She was originally a D cup, and now is a C. She said she had to gain some weight so they would have enough to harvest. Sounds crazy, I know. But I love the idea of using my own tissue withoug having to cut up any other parts of my body. Just wanted to find out if anyone else has heard anything positive/negative about it, as I've only had one person's account of the whole experience.

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  • Renata
    Renata Member Posts: 172
    edited February 2010

    That's amazing!!! Please keep us posted. I had heard about a similar procedure but it is in the trial phase yet:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8357195.stm.

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  • Macc
    Macc Member Posts: 23
    edited February 2010

    These articles were in the british press last year.

    http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/worthing/Pioneering-work-for-breast-cancer.4650581.jp

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/8292822.stm

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited February 2010

    It sounds interesting. Am I correct in assuming a person would need a skin-sparing mast for this?

    Leah

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  • Mouse6
    Mouse6 Member Posts: 246
    edited February 2010

    Thanks for the links ladies. The one with the video was especially interesting. Leah, unfortunately, I don't know much about the surgery yet, so I'm not sure what needs to be done ahead to prepare the site. I'll know more after my consult in March. I'm trying to pull together some good questions to ask when the time comes. Let me know if you guys have questions and I'll put them on my list and be sure to ask and post the answers here. If this is as good as it sounds, it could be such an amazing alternative to the traditional methods.

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  • happy29
    happy29 Member Posts: 296
    edited February 2010

    I am having fat grafting on March 2nd for my second stage. My Doctor back in October was telling me about this possibility of micrografting being able to form the whole breast- something about stem cell growth and the cells breeding and becoming breast tissue. I can not remember the details but thinking HOW COOL!!

     My reason is to add volume to my breasts. Fingers crossed- I hope it works......

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  • Mouse6
    Mouse6 Member Posts: 246
    edited February 2010

    good luck happy!

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  • debsie1
    debsie1 Member Posts: 74
    edited February 2010

    Hi Girls;

     I just walked in from a 45 minute consultation concerning fat grafts. This is the 3rs PS I have seeked out for advise.He thought that I would be a perfect candidate for fat grafts and if I am willing he will put me down on the list. I had a lumpectomy 3.5 yrs ago (i have posted pics on the pic site) followed by 4x tac chemo and 4 weeks radiation. I have a divot aswell as a half inverted nipple from the surgery.I was told today that it would be a one hour surgery with general anesthetic....they would basically liposuction the fat from either the hips, buttocks (my choice) and then inject into the breast area where needed.... one cup size CAN be added as they do not like to add too much fat. So it is not too  invasive  and the recovery tme is usually a day or two. The reason for a general is that they cannot put local anesthetic on the breast as they would then not know where to fill with fat. 80 per cent chance of fat taking...20 per cent chance  of fat necrosis..... If that occurs you can still try the procedure again.It all sounded great until he told me that sometimes with fat grafting  5-10% chance of forming oil cysts/calcification  (THEY LOOK LIKE SUSPICIOUS CYSTS/LUMPS) and if they are picked up on mammogram they would need to be biopsied.....so there is a chance of having one or several biopsies for nothing. I forgot to ask him if MRI's would be able to show if its from the fat graft or not......

    This is a new procedure...not too many dr's are trained to do it and therefore do not suggest it...I am abit confused once again and will have to do some more research ...  would love to hear from anyone who has had it done or who has some helpful info to pass on.....

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  • 2z54
    2z54 Member Posts: 261
    edited February 2010

    I just had micro fat grafting on Jan. 25 to fill in a small divot at top of left foob, as part of Stage 2 revisions. I had my bilat DIEP a year ago.  The divot is gone now, and looks great. I saw the PS the other day and asked her when we will know if it "took", i.e. stays filled in, and she said that it could be 2 - 3 months before we know for sure. But, she did overfill to accomodate some reasbsorbtion.

    Anyway, there was absolutely no pain/discomfort associated with it - probably because I was under general anesthetic when it was done.  And for all of the revisions, I haven't needed pain meds. 

    I think you may be asking about a much larger area; mine was about a 1.5 inch circle. But, it seems to be working!   Keep us posted if you decide to have it done for the total recon, and best of luck!

    Sue

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  • debsie1
    debsie1 Member Posts: 74
    edited February 2010

    Thank you for replying 2z54.....can I ask you a few questions????  How long was your recovery from the fat grafts i.e. did you have to stay home a few days? How soon did you see a difference?? Did you do it on both sides?? Do you know how many cc's your dr. used? And did your dr. mention the possibility of clacificaton/cycts forming which would require biopsies?? I have the option of doing only one side where the divot is or doing both sides which would increase the size of my breast ....he said the max he could do is 250 cc's......I don't know if I should do one or both...my fear is that if I do both sides and there is fat necrosis on the radiated side what would I do with the healthy side that would be bigger????

    If you have any ideas or answers I would love to hear them.....thank you so much....

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  • geysermom
    geysermom Member Posts: 133
    edited February 2010

    debsie1,

    I had micro fat grafting yesterday and am up and around today doing laundry with minimal pain medication.  I am returning to work on Monday and think I will be more than ready.  They removed 27 ccs from just below the gluteal folds (54 ccs total) and transplanted it to hollow areas above each implant (right side more than left).  It's too early to know if I will see a difference due to swelling at this point.   

    My surgeon had calcification/cysts mentioned on the surgical consent form but didn't verbalize anything about it.  The consent had a myriad of possible complications.

    My surgeon only does micro fat grafting because he says that using small amounts of fat each time really increases the likelyhood that the fat will stay where it is transplanted.

    Hope you don't mind me answering your questions!

    Julie

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited February 2010
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  • debsie1
    debsie1 Member Posts: 74
    edited February 2010

    Hi Julie..thank you so much for your reply..I am happy to hear that you are up and about with minimal pain..Do you mind if I ask you a few more questions?? Did you have to have general anesthetic? And if so for how long were you asleep? I would have to have more cc's than you if I do both sides and ask to be made abit bigger. I am such a chicken about these things ....butI am ever so grateful to have girls like you to help me....

    Debbie

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  • debsie1
    debsie1 Member Posts: 74
    edited February 2010

    Hi Meece;

    Thanks for respnding.....did you have a large divot due to a lumpectomy???? I am ging to try and find you on the pic site....would I just look under your user name???? Any answers for me regarding the questions I just posted above????? Pain? general anesthsia? how long were yoiu home??? how many cc's did they take and from where???

    I was wondering why you are not so happy with it.....

    ddebbie

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited February 2010

    This post has been deleted because this thread no longer relates to the content of the post

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  • cookie2009
    cookie2009 Member Posts: 36
    edited February 2010

    Hi, Nice to hear from someone who had it done. I had it done with the exchange in October 2009.

    It will have to done again next month because of the way the implant settled. I have lots of skin under my arm. If you would like to talk more email me at bmmargie@yahoo.com.

    Cookie

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  • cookie2009
    cookie2009 Member Posts: 36
    edited February 2010

    Hi, My name is Margie. I had the fat grafting done about 3 months ago with the exchange surgery.

    I will be needing another fat grafting for my implant because of the hollow under my arm. It will be done with my nipple surgery. I hate surgery.

    Hugs,

    Margie

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  • cookie2009
    cookie2009 Member Posts: 36
    edited February 2010

    Hi, I had the same operation done about 3 months ago, and will have to be repeated. I guess surgery does not stop until we are comfortable with the results. They took the fat from my stomach, and I had alot of pain from the stomach area. I also had terrible problems with anthesia each time, so I am not looking forward to srugery. I have to have it done because I cannot shave under my arm.

    Hugs,

    Margie

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  • OG56
    OG56 Member Posts: 897
    edited February 2010

    Thanks for the info ladies I was wondering about this because of indent from lumpectomy, now I know.

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited February 2010
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  • 2z54
    2z54 Member Posts: 261
    edited February 2010

    Hi Debsie,

    Sorry I haven't gotten back to respond til now.  But I see that plenty of others have jumped in and their informatin is probably more relevant than mine.  My fat grafting was merely to fill in a small indentation left on one side of the DIEP reconstruction; at the top cleavage area of left foob. I see that others have had more extensive grafting, closer to what your are contemplating.

    I will tell you that there was really no recovery required for the fat grafting site.  I have several incisions that were redone from the original DIEP and they are still bandaged, etc. But the fat grafting didn't even require bandaging, and felt a bit swollen and hard for a few days; but that's it. I don't know how many cc's the PS used, because it really was just a divot-ful.  

    Anyway, hope that helps! 

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  • debsie1
    debsie1 Member Posts: 74
    edited February 2010

    Thanks for replying....I hope that all is perfect when the badages come off.........keep us posted....

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited February 2010

    Real interested in micro fat grafting. Just have a small but anoying divot. I live in Western Carolina near the Tennessee, SC and Georgia borders. Anybody know anybody who would do this within driving distance for me? Also could drive to Duke, Bowman Gray? I have searched and searched!

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  • Mouse6
    Mouse6 Member Posts: 246
    edited February 2010

    Just curious for those who have had to go back to correct the fat grafting (add more), did the ps charge for each procedure, or are the corrections part of the original cost. Also - approx. how much was the procedure? Has anyone had a COMPLETE reconstruction using their own fat?

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  • debsie1
    debsie1 Member Posts: 74
    edited February 2010

    Hi Mouse6;

    I also live in Canada (Montreal) and have seen a PS about fat grafts . Apparantly they are able to boost you up one full cup size bigger. I was told that it was mostly covered by our healthcare but would have to pay the PS $1000.00 for one side and $2000.00 for both sides. Im not really sure what this is being paid for.....I do know that hospital cost, operating room, anesthetics are covered..... let me know what you learn...

    Debbie

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited February 2010
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  • geysermom
    geysermom Member Posts: 133
    edited February 2010

    Debbie,

    I was in surgery for 2 1/2 hours so I am guessing the surgery itself was actually around 2 hours.  They used general anesthesia and part of the time required was for repositioning since they used the fat from below my butt and then flipped me to put it in above my foobs.

    There are four small incisions which are stitched closed (one below each "cheek" and one above each foob).  The PS said that the "garment" (girdle) they sent me home in was optional after I showered Friday (surgery Thursday).  It feels better to wear something but I bought a "shapewear" garment that is more comfortable to sit in and for sleeping.  On top I am wearing a comfortable cotton sports bra.

    These procedures are covered by my insurance as breast reconstruction revisions.

    Julie

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  • debsie1
    debsie1 Member Posts: 74
    edited February 2010

    Hi Julie ;

    Thanks for posting. How long do you deel you will have to stay home for and how much pain is involved??? Any idea how many cc's they used for you? Was this to fix a divot from lumectomy or to fill in from implants?? I understand that they could go up to a full bra size bigger but thats it. Any info is really appreciated.

    Debbie

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