Researchers at ACS Applied Bio Materials, including Pham Ngoc Chien and Chan-Yeong Heo, developed an injectable paste processed from human skin cells that restores volume without invasiveness. Intended for breast reconstruction—a procedure often involving prosthetic implants or transplanted tissue—this injectable could help prevent scarring and promote shorter healing time.
Breast reconstruction, a common procedure for cancer patients, can involve the removal of skin and fat and moving it to the breast, but the issue many patients and surgeons find with this technique is that in the effort of are even donated from other parts of the body to fill in the gaps left behind, like a skin graft. Though this technique preserves the shape of the breast for the patient, it leaves a scar where the tissue was donated from.
The injectable, a form of acellular dermal matrix (ADM), contains collagen, elastin and growth factors, according to a Jan. 5 AAAS news release. Chien and Heo used donated human skin, approved by the Institutional Review Board of Seoul Asan Hospital, and refined it into small particles and mixed it with water. The paste was injected into rats, and after six months, the paste showed no adverse effects and caused thinner tissue layers around the injection site compared to commercial ADM products.
“By promoting blood vessel growth and tissue remodeling while keeping inflammation low and reducing capsular contracture, the injectable acellular matrix could make breast reconstruction safer, less invasive and more accessible, thereby improving long-term comfort and cosmetic outcomes for patients,” said Chien.
While this looks promising for reducing complications in breast implants, safety studies and more advanced testing are required before clinical application.
