Liposuction for autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells: Preliminary results of donor-site complications in male stress urinary incontinence

Abstract Objectives Liposuction is now applied to harvest autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells in the regenerative medicine. Although liposuction is highly safe for females who generally have larger fat deposits, liposuction has some potential risks for donor-site complications in the case of aged male patients. The purpose of our study was to review the complications of liposuction of the aged male patients who have undergone cell therapy for stress urinary incontinence. Methods Sixteen male patients (mean age, 74 years old) with persistent stress urinary incontinence were included in this study. Approximately 250 mL of adipose tissue was harvested using a syringe attached to the cannula. Postoperative complications were recorded and graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 4.0. Results Average liposuction time was 57.4 min. No major complications were observed. However, there were some minor complications: bruising, numbness, contour irregularities, firmness, and scarring. These complications were CTCAE Grade 1 in all cases. The complications, except for the scarring, became unnoticeable within 6 months in all cases. Conclusion Liposuction takes time and has some minor donor-site complications for stem cell therapy in aged male stress urinary incontinence patients.