Use of Autologous Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fractions in Revision Rhinoplasty for Severe Contractures in Asian Patients

Ahn TH, Lee W, Kim HM, Cho SB, Yang EJ.

PubMed 33620926 Publisher (DOI)

What this paper says

In 40 patients with severely contracted noses, those given injections of cells taken from their own fat gained more nasal length and tip projection at 18 months than those given saline.

Overview

The stromal vascular fraction is the cell mixture separated from a patient's own fat, and it has been reported to reduce inflammation and scarring and to promote healing. Injections of it have been used to treat severely scarred tissue. This study compared revision septorhinoplasty with adjuvant fat derived cell injections against the same surgery with preservative free saline injections in patients whose noses had contracted.

Sections of note

Forty patients had revision septorhinoplasty for severely contracted noses; level of evidence III.
The treatment group received stromal vascular fraction injections; controls received 0.9 percent preservative free saline.
Treated group nasal length went from 4.2 plus or minus 0.2 cm to 5.1 plus or minus 0.2 cm at 18 months.
Tip projection went from 2.2 plus or minus 0.2 cm to 2.9 plus or minus 0.1 cm.
Nasofrontal angle went from 125.6 plus or minus 5.1 to 128.1 plus or minus 4.8 degrees.
Nasolabial angle went from 105.8 plus or minus 6.5 to 94.9 plus or minus 5.6 degrees.
Nasal length, tip projection and nasolabial angle improved more than in controls; the nasofrontal angle did not.
The authors report no major side effects.

What it means for a patient

Contracted nose means scar tissue has shortened and tightened the nose, usually after implant complications.
The cell injections were an addition to surgery, not a replacement for it.
Three of four measurements favoured the treatment, all physical measurements rather than patient reported satisfaction.
Forty patients at one centre, with allocation method not stated, is limited evidence.

Why this paper matters

Severe contracture recurs because scar continues to pull after reconstruction, and no reliable method prevents that. This study tests a biological addition against a placebo injection at 18 months. Whether the gains persist longer, and how they translate into satisfaction, is unaddressed.

Terms

Stromal vascular fraction: the mixed cell population separated from a patient's own fat.
Autologous: taken from the patient's own body.
Contracture: scar tissue tightening and shortening the nose.
Nasofrontal angle: the angle between the forehead and the bridge of the nose.
Nasolabial angle: the angle between the base of the nose and the upper lip.
Adjuvant: an added treatment given alongside the main one.

Summary written by rhinoplasty.cc from the abstract, 2026-09-09; not medical advice. The authors' own abstract follows.

From the abstract

“Autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction treatments have been shown to elicit antiinflammatory, antifibrotic, immunomodulatory, angiogenic, and regenerative effects. Injections of adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction have been used to treat severely scarred tissues. Methods: Revision septorhinoplasty…”

Excerpt; the full abstract is on PubMed.