544 Improvement of Skin Quality in Patients Undergoing Nasal Fat Grafting: A Systematic Review Protocol

Abstract

Abstract Aim Primary aims: to understand the effects of adipose tissue or its derivatives on nasal skin quality, and whether lipofilling may improve nasal skin quality. Secondary aims: to understand whether post-lipofilling nasal skin improvement can be observed and quantified in both good quality and scarred nasal skin, to investigate if changes are related to the differing levels of preoperative skin quality (unscarred vs scarred), to review outcomes for different types of fat harvesting and processing techniques prior to grafting and identify complications following nasal lipofilling. Method A search strategy will be developed to search MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, followed by a grey literature search, to identify relevant publications. Two researchers will review titles, abstracts, and full-texts of the resulting publications, against the inclusion and exclusion criteria (a third researcher will decide where there are disagreements), as part of an independent two-person three-stage assessment strategy. Non-English/ Portuguese/ French articles, abstracts, letters, editorials, and expert opinions will be excluded. Results This systematic review has been registered on the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD 42021290198). Conclusion Adipose tissue has regenerative potential; it has been suggested there may be improvement in nasal skin quality following fat tissue grafting into the nasal region. Primary and secondary rhinoplasty procedures are being increasingly performed and multiple procedures may result in nasal skin damage, which should be addressed during secondary reconstruction. Understanding whether lipofilling improves nasal skin quality in nasal reconstruction could support its use in appropriate patients undergoing rhinoplasty.