Jeffry B. Schafer MD

Stem Cells from Adipose Tissue

Many cosmetic practitioners and orthopedic surgeons are intrigued with innovative strategies to isolate stem cells from adipose tissue. Currently, there are no FDA approved systems for isolating stem cells from fat tissue. For example, Cytori, a company located in San Diego has developed a technology for separating stem cells from adipose tissue. Moreover, Dr. Lee from South Korea has created the Lipokit and the Maxstem System, which is a technology for executing this procedure where a collagenase is employed to cleave stem cells from adipose tissue.

Currently, there’s Pharmicell “Stem Cell Workstation”, the newest and most thorough technology for this procedure. This system can be used also to isolate platelet rich plasma as well as growth factors derived from adipose cell conditioned media. Many clinicians believe that high concentrations of stem cells heighten the wound healing response and can possibly enhance cosmetic procedures.

The Pharmicell “Stem Cell Workstation” takes ninety minutes to complete from the time of aspiration to the isolation of adipose stem cells. The interior environment of the workstation is sterilized prior to placing fat tissue into the centrifuge. Aspirated fat is then placed in sterile 50 cc containers; and is centrifuged for three minutes at 1296 RPMs. A syringe is employed to separate the oil and other undesirable fibrous content from the fat tissue. The entire fat tissue is washed with saline for three minutes in a centrifuge at 1296 RPM.The saline is employed with centrifugation in order to thoroughly wash fat tissue prior to employing an FDA approved collagenase. These adipose stem cells, after the fifth centrifugation are available to be employed by a clinician for wound healing, cosmetic procedures; and most importantly for the treatment of musculoskeletal morbidities.

In summary, these adipose isolated stem cells can be mixed with PRP to treat tendon injuries and osteoarthritis. Pharmicell has found that 88 percent of these stem cells survive the five centrifugations; and this process yields approximately 8 million adipose stem cells. This newest technology is faster and more efficacious than any other existing machine. The Pharmicell “Stem Cell Workstation” is accelerating the clinical application of adipose stem cells for a variety of medical therapies.