Subcutaneous Injection of Autologous Adipose Tissue-derived Stromal Vascular Fraction Into the Fingers of Patients With Systemic Sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an auto-immune orphan disease mainly characterized by an alteration of the microvascular network, and by cutaneous and visceral fibrosis. Hands are frequently affected, as a consequence of ischemic phenomena and cutaneous fibrosis. . The injection of adipose autologous tissue is a common practice in plastic surgery, and has been known for over a century. Adipose tissue, originally used to increase volume, is also characterized by trophic properties associated to stromal vascular fraction (SVF), which contain multipotent stem cells, capable of tissue repair. Interestingly, some SVF cells can be angiogenic and anti-inflammatory, which could improve damage seen with SSc. A prior study (the SCLERADEC protocol: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01813279) has already allowed the safety and tolerance at 6 months of the subcutaneous injection of SVF in the fingers of twelve patients to be proven. The encouraging results have encouraged us to propose a trial which would bear on a higher number of patients and include a control group.