The additional role of stromal vascular fraction combined with autologous fat grafting in reconstruction following surgical treatment of breast cancer

   Breast cancer remains the most prevalent oncological disease among women. Surgical treatment often requires subsequent reconstruction, but implant-based approaches can lead to scar deformities, soft tissue deficiency, and asymmetry. Autologous fat grafting enhanced with stromal vascular fraction represents a promising solution for correcting these complications.

   Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of stromal vascular fraction-enriched autologous fat grafting in improving scar quality, correcting tissue defects, and maintaining graft volume in hybrid breast reconstruction.

   Materials and methods. The study enrolled 38 patients with stage I–III breast cancer who were evaluated and treated at University Clinical Hospital No. 4 (Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow). Following surgical intervention (radical mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery with radical resection). Participants were divided into a stromal vascular fraction group (n = 18) and control group (n = 20). Evaluations at 3, 6, and 12 months assessed adipose layer thickness, scar quality using the POSAS scale, and degree of asymmetry correction.

   Results. The stromal vascular fraction group demonstrated significantly better fat graft retention at 6 months (1.4 ± 0.2 cm versus 1.0 ± 0.2 cm in controls, p < 0.05). No procedure-related complications were observed in either group.

   Conclusion. Our findings indicate that stromal vascular fraction-enriched autologous fat grafting improves long-term reconstruction outcomes, supporting its use as an effective adjuvant technique in breast reconstruction.

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