Autologous fat grafting seems to alleviate postherpetic neuralgia – a feasibility study investigating patient-reported levels of pain

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a relatively common side effect after an outbreak of herpes zoster (HZ), characterized by chronic neuropathic dermal pain. No effective treatment exists today. Fat grafting has shown promise in alleviating neuropathic pain, yet the exact mechanism of action, at a biol...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery reconstructive & aesthetic surgery, 2021-02, Vol.74 (2), p.350-356
Main Authors:	Sollie, Martin, Thomsen, Jørn Bo, Sørensen, Jens Ahm
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Adipose-derived stem cells Aged Aged, 80 and over Autologous fat grafting Fat transplant Feasibility Studies Female Follow-Up Studies Humans Male Middle Aged Neuralgia, Postherpetic - diagnosis Neuralgia, Postherpetic - surgery Pain Pain Measurement Patient Reported Outcome Measures Pilot Projects Pilot Study Post-herpetic neuralgia Post-herpetic pain Prospective Studies Quality of Life Shingles Subcutaneous Fat - transplantation Transplantation, Autologous Treatment Outcome
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Summary:	Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a relatively common side effect after an outbreak of herpes zoster (HZ), characterized by chronic neuropathic dermal pain. No effective treatment exists today. Fat grafting has shown promise in alleviating neuropathic pain, yet the exact mechanism of action, at a biological level, is not yet known. We report on the first human study using autologous fat grafting for treating PHN. Our hypothesis was that fat grafting can alleviate pain and improve the quality of life (QoL) in patients suffering from PHN. If successful, this could be a safe, cost-effective alternative to analgesics. This safety and feasibility study aimed to investigate the possible pain-relieving effect of autologous fat grafting on PHN. Ten adult patients suffering from PHN underwent autologous fat grafting to a dermal area of neuralgia, with a 12-week follow up. The primary endpoint was patient-reported pain. Secondary endpoints were patient-reported changes in QoL, and the degree and quality of the neuropathic pain. The pain was measured by using a visual analog scale (range: 0-10). We observed improvements in both the average and maximum level of pain with a reduction of (-4.0 ± 3.1) and (-5.1 ± 3.9), respectively, (Δ mean ± SD), P
ISSN:	1748-6815 1878-0539