Improved shape and consistency after lipofilling of the breast: patients' evaluation of the outcome.

Autologous transplantation of fat, or lipofilling, of the breast can correct deformities after reconstruction and after conservation surgery for cancer. We have made a retrospective evaluation of morbidity and patients' experiences of the method. Forty-four patients have had lipofilling once, twice, or three times (mean transplanted volume 40 ml, range 6-200 ml). One minor complication, a local infection, was treated with antibiotics given orally, and recorded at follow up. A questionnaire was sent to all 44 patients and answered by 43. Twenty-nine of the 43 patients reported improvement of irregularities after lipofilling, 26 reported that the shape of the breast had improved, 26 that the consistency had improved, and 20 that the size had increased postoperatively. Five of the patients reported some adverse effects; one case of liponecrosis that did not need any treatment was found one year postoperatively. No problems were reported at the donor site at follow-up.