Cryopreservation of Fat Tissue and Application in Autologous Fat Graft: In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Background

Absorption of the autologous fat graft results in repeated harvesting procedures. The cost and complications increase with repeated procedures, but cryopreservation is one way to solve the problem. The aim of this study was to find an optimal temperature at which to store fat tissue with or without cryoprotective agents for long-term use.

Methods

Fat tissues harvested by liposuction were stored in normal saline, frozen in the freezer following the preset program, and cryopreserved at ?20, ?80, and ?196°C. The other group of fat tissues was stored in hydroxyethyl starch using the same frozen procedure. Two and 7 days after cryopreservation, viability tests were conducted. The fat tissues were injected into nude mice 2 and 4 weeks after cryopreservation. Three months later the fat grafts were harvested for histologic examination.

Results

No significant differences in cell viability were found in either in vitro or in vivo experiments for the three preserving temperatures. The cryoprotective agent HES did not influence cell viability.

Conclusion

There were no differences in cell viability among the three temperatures and with the use of a cryoprotective agent. Cryopreservation for salvage management is a clinically practical method.