Fat Pad Augmentation Using Human Adipose Allograft Yields Durable Closure in Recalcitrant Plantar Ulcers
Summary: A retrospective case series published in Wounds (September 2025, Vol. 37, No. 9) by Kristen McGinness, DPM; Brad Peck, DPM; Usman Javed, DPM; Amer Hitto, DPM; Torrin Lundberg, DPM; and Devin Ricks, DPM examined the impact of intraoperative human cryopreserved adipose tissue allograft (hCAT) added to standard of care (SOC) in eight patients with chronic, treatment-resistant plantar ulcers. The intervention supported notable, durable wound closure with no related adverse events.
Key Highlights:
- This cohort had ulcers averaging nearly 40 months in duration and 3.7 cm² in size—both larger and more chronic than most reported series.
- 87.5% of patients (7 of 8) achieved complete closure in an average of 2.8 months, and remained largely ulcer-free for an average of 5.6 months post-closure.
- There were no hCAT-related complications, including infections or adverse tissue reactions.
- hCAT—available off-the-shelf, requiring no donor match or immunosuppression—served as a cushion replacement that directly targets fat pad deficiency, a key driver of plantar ulcer recurrence.
Read the full case series in Wounds
Keywords:
fat pad augmentation,
hCAT (human cryopreserved adipose tissue allograft),
plantar ulcer,
recalcitrant wounds,
Kristen McGinness,
Brad Peck,
Usman Javed,
Amer Hitto,
Torrin Lundberg,
Devin Ricks