First-in-man Safety and Efficacy of the Adipose Graft Transposition Procedure (AGTP) in Patients With a Myocardial Scar

BACKGROUND: The present study evaluates the safety and efficacy of the Adipose Graft Transposition Procedure (AGTP) as a biological regenerative innovation for patients with a chronic myocardial scar. METHODS: This prospective, randomized single-center controlled study included 10 patients with established chronic transmural myocardial scars. Candidates for myocardial revascularization were randomly allocated into two treatment groups. In the control arm (n = 5), the revascularizable area was treated with CABG and the non-revascularizable area was left untouched. Patients in the AGTP-treated arm (n = 5) were treated with CABG and the non-revascularizable area was covered by a biological adipose graft. The primary endpoint was the appearance of adverse effects derived from the procedure including hospital admissions and death, and 24-hour Holter monitoring arrhythmias at baseline, 1 week, and 3 and 12 months. Secondary endpoints of efficacy were assessed by cardiac MRI. FINDINGS: No differences in safety were observed between groups in terms of clinical or arrhythmic events. On follow-up MRI testing, participants in the AGTP-treated arm showed a borderline smaller left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV; p = 0.09) and necrosis ratio (p = 0.06) at 3 months but not at 12 months. The AGTP-treated patient with the largest necrotic area and most dilated chambers experienced a noted improvement in necrotic mass size (− 10.8%), and ventricular volumes (LVEDV: − 55.2 mL and LVESV: − 37.8 mL at one year follow-up) after inferior AGTP. INTERPRETATION: Our results indicate that AGTP is safe and may be efficacious in selected patients. Further studies are needed to assess its clinical value. (ClinicalTrials.org NCT01473433, AdiFlap Trial).