Lipogems® May Enhance Jaw Surgery Results and Recovery
M. Raffaini, C. Tremolada · 2014
Study Followed 120 Patients for One Year After Treatment
Researchers at the University of Florence examined how adding Lipogems® fat grafting to corrective jaw surgery might improve outcomes. All 120 patients in this case series underwent double jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) combined with Lipogems® treatment. The surgical team followed patients at one day, one week, and then at one, six, and twelve months after their procedures.
Orthognathic surgery repositions the jaw bones to correct misalignment, but it doesn't change the soft tissue volume of the face. By adding processed fat tissue, surgeons aimed to enhance both the functional and aesthetic results of the bone surgery.
Less Swelling and Pain Noted in Early Recovery
One of the most notable observations was reduced swelling and pain in the days immediately following surgery. Doctors and nurses caring for these patients consistently noticed this improvement compared to their experiences with previous patients.
While the study didn't measure pain and swelling with standardized tools, the clinical team found the difference striking enough to document. The researchers believe this benefit may come from natural anti-inflammatory substances released by stem cells within the processed fat tissue.
No Complications Reported Across All 120 Patients
Every patient in this series completed their twelve-month follow-up without complications. Key findings included:
No fat tissue irregularities or hardened areas
Minimal reabsorption (loss) of the transplanted fat over time
Improved facial contour and skin texture
Higher rates of patient satisfaction compared to earlier techniques
Technique Evolved From Earlier Fat Grafting Methods
The surgical team had used various fat grafting approaches since 2001. Earlier methods sometimes caused increased swelling, unpredictable fat loss, and minor contour irregularities. Because of these issues, fat grafting was only used in about eight percent of jaw surgery patients between 2001 and 2008.
The Lipogems® system offered important advantages:
A closed, sterile processing system that reduces contamination risk
Smaller fat particles that spread more evenly under the skin
More consistent and predictable results
Simpler surgical technique requiring less specialized skill
Fat Tissue Harvested From Thigh or Abdomen
The procedure uses your own fat tissue, typically taken from the inner thigh or lower abdomen. A small amount of numbing solution is injected first. Then, using a gentle suction technique through a tiny incision, surgeons collect about fifteen cubic centimeters of fat at a time.
The Lipogems® device processes this fat in about ten minutes. It filters out blood, oil, and debris while breaking the fat into tiny clusters. These micro-fragments contain pericytes (cells that support healing) and mesenchymal stem cells (regenerative cells). For jaw surgery patients, less than thirty cubic centimeters of processed fat is typically needed.
Surgeons Now Recommend as Standard Practice
Based on these results, the research team began using Lipogems® in all their orthognathic surgery cases starting in 2011. They concluded that this technique should become a routine addition to jaw correction surgery.
The combination approach offers multiple benefits: reduced immediate discomfort, smoother final appearance, and improved patient satisfaction. Because the fat comes from your own body, there's no risk of rejection or allergic reaction.
Important Considerations for Patients
This study has some limitations to keep in mind. The comparison to earlier patients wasn't formally structured, and pain reduction wasn't measured with standardized scales. Patient satisfaction improvements were noted but couldn't be directly attributed to the new technique alone.
However, the consistent absence of complications and the clinical team's observations suggest meaningful benefits. If you're considering jaw surgery, ask your surgeon whether Lipogems® fat grafting might enhance your results and recovery experience.
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Source: Raffaini et al., None, 2014.
Original Publication
Micro Fractured and Purified Adipose Tissue Graft (Lipogems®) Can Improve the Orthognathic Surgery Outcomes Both Aesthetically and in Postoperative Healing
M. Raffaini, C. Tremolada · 2014
Classical fat grafting techniques are relatively difficult to learn and sometimes complications (fat indurations and irregularities) arise as well as unpredictable reabsorption of the transplanted fat. We present an innovative technique of fat grafting which proved to be very useful in combination with orthognathic surgery where maximal reliability and minimal complications are very important. The aim of this study was to show how micro fractured fat transplantation obtained with a new closed disposable device (Lipogems®) applied in combination with orthognathic surgery can obtain very nice surgical outcomes with no complications and minimal postoperative swelling. 120 patients undergoing double jaw orthognathic surgery were treated at the end of orthognathic procedure with Lipogems® micro fat grafting technique. Follow up was at 1 day, 1 week, 1, 6 and 12 months. The management of the soft tissue volumes with lipogems micro fat grafting technique allowed satisfactory results with no complications at 12 months follow-up in all 120 patients. Both facial morphology and skin texture were enhanced short and long term by the adjunct of lipogems grafting. Comparing with previous experience using different lipofilling techniques, the immediate postoperative results showed much less swelling and pain than usual and longer term follow up showed minimal reabsorption and no irregularities or induration. Adding transplantation of micro fractured adipose tissue at the end of orthognathic procedure using lipogems technique reduce immediate postoperative pain and swelling and improve final aesthetic outcomes and patient satisfaction with no complications.