Prospective Controlled Study of Buttock Fat Transfer Using Ultrasound and Photographic Measurements

BACKGROUND: Buttock fat transfer is now the preferred method for gluteal augmentation. However, its efficacy has not been well-documented using measurements. METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive patients underwent buttock fat transfer performed by the author. Twenty-one patients returned for measurements ≥3 months after surgery (inclusion rate, 84%). A separate group of 25 patients undergoing cosmetic surgery without buttock fat transfer served as controls. All patients underwent superwet liposuction using total intravenous anesthesia and no prone positioning. A closed filtration system was used to collect the fat. Subcutaneous fat thickness was assessed using ultrasound imaging. Measurements were made on standardized photographs. The data were controlled for change in body mass index. Clinical data were also evaluated. RESULTS: The mean fat volume injected per buttock was 287 mL (range, 70–550 mL). Ultrasound measurements detected a significant increase in the subcutaneous fat thickness (P ≤ 0.001), with mean increments of 0.66 cm for the right buttock and 0.86 cm for the left buttock and no significant change for control patients. The mean calculated fat retention, based on the measured surface area injected, was 66%. Photographic measurements of buttock projection revealed a significant increase in treated patients (P < 0.01) and no significant change in control patients. There were no clinical complications at either recipient or donor sites and no evidence of oily cysts on ultrasound examinations. CONCLUSIONS: Photographic and ultrasound measurements, and clinical findings, confirm that buttock fat transfer effectively and safely increases buttock projection.