Mesenchymal stem cells: aesthetic applications

Rhinoplasty with Fillers and Fat Grafting

Nonsurgical rhinoplasty is one choice for cases in which open surgery may be harmful, the deformity is not indicated to correct with open surgery, or in patients who have phobia of general anesthesia or any type of surgery. Autologous fat injection or fillers are most common materials currently available in the market. In this article, we explain the indications, contraindications, methods, and complications of this treatment.

Aging of Human Adult Stem Cells

With the continuous development of stem cell research in recent years, it is realized that stem cell aging may be the core issue of organ aging. As an important approach and main content of regenerative medicine, the stem cell research brings great hope to overcome difficult diseases and improve the quality of life for human beings and become the key to solve this issue. Based on this research, the varying characteristics of stem cells in aging could be recognized; the role of stem cells in the organ aging and regeneration will be revealed; the function of stem cells will be controllable and regulatable in tissues and organs; the stem cells from tissues and organs with rapid or slow cell renewal (e.g., liver and neuron) could be continuously observed from the levels of cellular molecules and dynamic complex. With the assistance of systematical research approaches, the function and mechanism studies can be conducted via multi-perspectives and levels during the different stages of organ aging and regeneration. All of the abovementioned requires great efforts to thoroughly understand the basic rule and the way of stem cell regulation in organ aging and regeneration. Final to the end, the dream of antiaging, efficient repair, and organ remodeling could be realized and also can meet the major needs of population health and disease treatment in our country, meaningfully to contribute benefits for the health of human beings.

Refinement of rhinoplasty with lipoinjection

BACKGROUND

The most common aesthetic defects after rhinoplasty are small dorsal irregularities observed mainly in patients with thin dorsal nasal skin. Many techniques have been used in attempts to prevent perceptible irregularities and sharp edges of bone and cartilage in these patients. Adipose tissue transplantation has been used widely in aesthetic surgery as a surgical method to correct surface depression or to augment soft tissue. Recently, this tissue has been considered a potential source of stem cells with regenerative capacity and other benefits. The authors present a simple procedure using lipoinjection of microfat grafts over the osseocartilaginous framework of the nasal dorsum as a routine technique in rhinoplasty.

METHODS

Open rhinoplasty was performed for all the patients. At the start of the procedure, we aspirated 3 to 5 ml of fat and separated it using the sedimentation method. The fat deposited as sediment (2-3 ml) was injected at the beginning of the procedure, after suture of the incisions and before application of the splint, over the osseocartilaginous framework in the subcutaneous space. The fat acted as a thin layer of soft tissue to thicken the overlying skin and help camouflage minimal imperfections.

RESULTS

Between February 2003 and May 2005, 78 rhinoplasties were performed, with injection of autologous fat. Of the 78 patients, 61 were primary rhinoplasties and 17 were secondary rhinoplasties with a follow-up time of 1 to 36 months. No minor irregularities were observed, and the aspect and quality of the skin improved for all the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Fat injection into the nose as a refinement of rhinoplasty is a fast, easy, inexpensive procedure for obtaining regular and smooth contours on the nasal dorsum that lasts over time.