Mechanical Processing of SVF-Enriched Microfat for Reconstruction of Traumatic Soft Tissue Defects

Summary

This protocol describes a reproducible method for preparing mechanically processed SVF-enriched microfat from autologous adipose tissue and injecting it into cavity-type traumatic soft tissue defects for clinical reconstruction.

Abstract

Traumatic soft tissue defects pose significant challenges for reconstruction due to tissue loss, impaired vascularity, and difficulties achieving durable coverage. Adipose tissue offers a practical autologous tissue source, and mechanically processed stromal vascular fraction (SVF)-enriched microfat can be prepared intraoperatively without enzymatic digestion.
This study presents a standardized clinical protocol for harvesting autologous adipose tissue and processing it into SVF-enriched microfat for injection into cavity-type traumatic soft tissue defects. Fat is harvested manually from the thigh or abdomen under low negative pressure, mechanically fragmented by cutting and syringe-to-syringe emulsification, filtered to achieve uniform microfat consistency, and centrifuged to isolate the SVF-containing fraction. The processed microfat is injected throughout the wound cavity in a multilayered pattern. Postoperative assessment includes serial clinical evaluation, photographic documentation, and measurement of wound-area reduction until epithelialization.
In a small cohort, the method was associated with progressive wound contraction and complete epithelialization within approximately 4-8 weeks, with no major complications. Although cellular composition and viability were not quantified, the technique provided a feasible intraoperative approach suitable for settings without access to enzymatic processing or laboratory facilities. This protocol offers a practical, minimally manipulated method for delivering SVF-enriched microfat in managing traumatic cavity-type defects and may serve as a foundation for further controlled studies.

Introduction

Traumatic cavity-type soft tissue defects remain a major reconstructive challenge because they combine tissue loss, impaired local perfusion, and a high risk of infection and dead-space formation. Conventional coverage techniques, such as split-thickness skin grafts or flap transfers, provide durable coverage in many cases. However, they are frequently limited by donor-site morbidity, technical complexity, and variable long-term outcomes, especially in contaminated or scarred beds^1,2,3.

Adipose tissue is an abundant, easily accessible source of a h....

Protocol

All procedures were approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (Approval No. KL-2025062) and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients prior to participation.

1. Patient selection and preoperative assessment

1. Include adult patients presenting with cavity-type traumatic soft tissue defects requiring reconstructive intervention after completion of adequate surgical debridement.
   ​NOTE: Defects should demonstrate a well-defined cavity with surrounding viable tissue and no ongoing necrosis at the time of reconstruction.
2. Exclude patients ....

Results

A total of eight patients with cavity-type traumatic soft tissue defects were treated using the described protocol.

Cohort characteristics

The cohort included five males and three females, with a mean age of 51.5 ± 11.7 years (range, 38-74 years). Defects were located on the lower limb (n = 5), upper limb (n = 2), and trunk (n = 1). The mean maximal wo.......

Discussion

This study describes a clinically applicable and reproducible protocol for the mechanical processing and transplantation of SVF-enriched microfat in managing traumatic cavity-type soft tissue defects. The protocol is intended for point-of-care implementation in a standard operating room setting and prioritizes procedural simplicity, safety, and feasibility over biological characterization. In this small clinical series, all treated defects demonstrated progressive wound closure and achieved complete epithelialization wit.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.9% Normal saline	Baxter Healthcare (or equivalent)	Various	Used as a base solution for tumescent solution
Blunt-tip injection cannula (22G × 50 mm)	CONPUVON (;), China	DZ 22×50-C5	Used for multilayered injection of SVF-enriched microfat
Centrifuge	Longtime Biotechnology (), China	LTA-1600	Clinical centrifuge capable of generating approximately 400 × g
Digital camera / Smartphone	Any	N/A	Standardized wound photography during follow-up
Epinephrine	Local hospital pharmacy	Various	Added to saline to achieve a final concentration of 1:500,000
ImageJ software (Version 1.53 or later)	National Institutes of Health (USA)	Free software	Used for planimetric wound area measurement
Liposuction cannula (2–3 mm)	Standard medical supplier	N/A	Used for harvesting adipose tissue from donor site
Luer-lock connector (female-to-female)	Becton Dickinson (or equivalent)	Various	Used for syringe-to-syringe mechanical emulsification
Luer-lock syringe (1, 5, 10, 20 mL)	Hongda Medical Devices (), China	Not specified (institutional supply)	Used for aspiration, mechanical processing, and injection
Sterile dressing / bandage	Hospital Pharmacy	N/A	For postoperative wound coverage
Surgical scissors (sterile)	Guangzhou Baitang Medical Devices Co., Ltd.	BT00301 (or similar representative model)	Used for mechanical fragmentation of adipose tissue
Vaseline gauze (10 cm × 10 cm)	Huaxi Medical Dressing Co., Ltd. (), China	Not specified (institutional supply)	Non-adherent dressing used for postoperative wound care