The Effect of Centrifugal Forces on Viability of Adipocytes in Centrifuged Lipoaspirates

Standard protocols for autologous fat transfer involve centrifugation of the lipoaspirate for better separation. The effect of the centrifugal forces on cell viability and possible induction of apoptosis is discussed controversially in current literature. We have examined the vitality of adipocytes in lipoaspirates after centrifugation by 8 different accelerations up to 20.000g immediately after the respective centrifugation as well as 4 days later by staining. No significant alterations in the viability of differently centrifuged adipocytes were found. Cultivation of the samples after centrifugation revealed no apoptotic changes. Our results show that centrifugation, as a part of the protocol of lipofilling, has no effect on the survival rate of isolated adipocytes in the purified fat. In contrast, lipoaspirates centrifuged with higher accelerations seem to be better cleansed of oil and cell debris than samples treated with lower centrifugal forces.