Abstract
BACKGROUND: Poland syndrome is a rare congenital condition characterized by unilateral breast deformity. Autologous fat transplantation has emerged as the preferred treatment due to its minimal invasiveness, rapid recovery, absence of rejection reactions, and potential for multiple surgeries to enhance postoperative outcomes. Previous animal studies have shown that botulinum toxin significantly improves fat retention rates following fat transplantation. Therefore, we aim to initiate a clinical study to investigate the effects of botulinum toxin on human fat transplantation. OBJECTIVE: This prospective comparative clinical study aims to evaluate the impact of combining botulinum toxin with autologous fat grafting on fat retention rates in patients with Poland syndrome. METHOD: From October 2017 to December 2023, we enrolled 20 Poland syndrome patients, assigning them to an experimental group receiving fat and botulinum toxin for breast augmentation and a control group undergoing standard autologous fat grafting. Postoperative fat retention rates were compared, and outcomes were assessed using the Breast-Q score, alongside baseline patient data. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in baseline data between the two groups. At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, the fat retention rate in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group. Regarding Breast-Q scores, the control group exhibited significantly lower scores in the Satisfaction with breast domain than the experimental group, with no notable differences in other domains. CONCLUSION: The injection of a mixture of fat and botulinum toxin significantly enhances fat retention rates in patients with isolated breast deformities associated with Poland syndrome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study has been registered with the China Clinical Trial Center (ChiCTR2100054878).