210
Fig. 10.2 A puncture wound made with a no. 15 scalpel blade in an aseptically cleaned donor
area. The harvesting cannula is inserted through the puncture wound in the donor area. The har-
vesting cannula is advanced within the adipose layer of the donor area, and the plunger is with-
drawn 1–3 ml at a time to create a low negative pressure within the barrel of the syringe. The
negative pressure decreases within the suction system as the barrel of the syringe fi lls with adipose
tissue. The plunger is then drawn again creating a vacuum to allow more adipose tissue to be suc-
tioned through the harvesting cannula into the barrel of the syringe. The surgeon grips the donor
area with the nondominant hand, while easily manipulating the 10 ml Luer Lock syringe to main-
tain a low negative pressure during harvesting. The surgeon advances and retracts the harvesting
cannula quickly and forcefully through the adipose layer
Fig. 10.3 Lipoaspirate
fi lls the syringe during the
harvesting process due to
the negative suction
pressure. Because a dry
needle aspiration technique
is used to obtain virgin
lipoaspirate, the samples
appear bloody. These
blood cell contaminants
will be removed during the
isolation process
F.A. van Vollenstee et al.