Rate of Fat Graft Volume Loss After Parotidectomy

• Published in: The Journal of craniofacial surgery
• Main Authors: Sagalow, Emily S, Christopher, Vanessa, Banoub, Raphael G, Gill, Kurren S, Xu, Vivian, Jain, Nikhita, Malkani, Kabir, Elmer, Nicholas, Zhan, Tingting, Stanek, Joel J, Hwang, Michelle, Krein, Howard D, Heffelfinger, Ryan N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.2022
• ISSN: 1536-3732
• DOI: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000008615

Reconstruction after parotidectomy can include fat grafting, which allows for symmetry, but grafts have demonstrated volume loss over time. To provide quantitative evidence for the rate of volume loss of fat grafts. Patients who received parotidectomy with fat graft reconstruction at a single institution from August 2016 to October 2020 were identified. Relationships between clinical factors and the logarithmic rate of fat graft volume loss were analyzed. Twelve patients received parotidectomy, fat graft reconstruction, and underwent a postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Rate of fat graft volume loss was a mean of 1.8% per month (standard deviation [SD]: 2.1% per month). Total parotid fat graft volume loss was a mean of 57.4% (SD: 67.5%). The mean follow-up time was 35.5 months (range: 9-89.8 months). Correlations between body mass index (BMI), history of smoking, and history of alcohol consumption and logarithmic rates of fat graft volume loss were increased but not significantly. Fat grafts have the potential of 60% volume loss at approximately 1 year. If there is clinical suspicion that patients will require adjuvant radiation or have clinical factors such as a smoking or alcohol-use history, volume requirements may be even greater to maintain adequate parotid volume for aesthetic purposes.