Author/Editor		Cuellar, Eduardo Serna; Solis, Luis Santamaria
Title		First use of stereology to quantify the survival of fat autografts
Type		članek
Source		Image Anal Stereol
Vol. and No.		Letnik 24, št. 3
Publication year		2005
Volume		str. 187-93
Language		eng
Abstract		It is not usual to perform quantitative analyses on surgical materials. Rather, they are evaluated clinically, through qualitative methods, and if quantitation is done, it is on a 2-dimensional basis. In this study, the long-term survival of fat autografts (FAG) in 40 subjects with facial soft tissue defects is quantified. An adipose tissue preparation from the abdomen obtained through liposuction and centrifugation is injected subcutaneously. Approximately 14 months later, the treated area is biopsied. Extensive computer-based histological analyses were performed using the stereological method in order to directly obtain three parameters: volume fraction of adipocytes in the fat tissue (Vv), density (number per volume) of adipocytes in the fat tissue (Nv), and the mean cell volume of adipocytes (VA) in each tissue sample. A set of equations based on these three quantitative parameters is produced for evaluation of the volumetric survival fraction (VSF) of FAG. The presented data evidenced a 66% survival fraction at the l4-month follow-up. In routine practice, it would be sufficient to perform this volumetric analysis on the injected and biopsied fat samples to know what fraction of the FAG has survived. This is an objective method for quantifying FAG survival and will allow a standardized comparison between different research series and authors.
Descriptors		FACE SOFT TISSUE INJURIES ADIPOSE TISSUE ADIPOCYTES CELL SURVIVAL TRANSPLANTATION, AUTOLOGOUS