Long Beach, Calif. — Patients appear to be more satisfied with buttock augmentation with implants compared to fat grafting, according to results of a recent study.
Cosmetic surgeons at the Chugay Cosmetic Surgery Institute, Long Beach, Calif., conducted a comparative study to examine whether one technique is superior to the other in terms of complications, postoperative pain and patient satisfaction.
The researchers retrospectively reviewed 129 patient cases between 2008 and 2011. Thirty-three had undergone buttock augmentation using fat transfer with stem cell therapy and 96 with silicone prosthesis.
Patients who received implants for their augmentation were significantly more satisfied, 76 percent, with their results compared to those who received fat transfer, 69.7 percent.
Patients with implants were more likely to develop seromas, while patients with fat transfers were more likely to develop lumps or dents, researchers noted. Complications were isolated to those undergoing implant augmentation and included dehiscence (14.6 percent) and contracture (13.5 percent).
“Although fat grafting for buttock augmentation is rising in popularity among surgeons, its results are not as consistent as those seen with buttock implant augmentation,” the authors concluded. “This consistency of results is offset by the risk of capsular contracture and dehiscence, which are seen in implant surgery. Cosmetic surgeons should be aware of both techniques in buttock augmentation and their respective risks and benefits.”
The study was published in the September issue of the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery.
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