Blog March 2026

Plastic Surgery · Breast Surgery · WAL Technology

Autologous fat vs. implants in breast surgery: is there really a war between techniques?

Why the body-jet® eco should be in every operating theatre that performs breast surgery — public or private

In the world of breast surgery, a debate has been going on for years that is, in reality, built on a false premise: the idea that autologous fat and implants compete. The clinical reality is far more nuanced. And at the centre of that reality sits a compact device, manufactured in Germany, that many surgeons still do not know or underestimate: the body-jet® eco by Human Med AG.

This article is not a product catalogue. It is a reflection on why this small device — together with its single-use and reusable accessories — has a permanent place in any plastic surgery department that works with the breast, whether in oncological reconstruction or aesthetic augmentation.

A debate that should not exist

For years, breast surgery was organised into two major camps: surgeons who worked with implants and surgeons who placed their trust in autologous fat. Both sides had — and still have — solid arguments.

Implants offer predictable volume, controlled surgical times and decades of accumulated evidence. Autologous fat, on the other hand, provides tactile and visual naturalness, the absence of a foreign body, and, in recent years, growing interest in its regenerative properties.

But the market has been shifting towards a middle ground for some time: hybrid augmentation. Implant plus lipofilling. Reconstruction plus fat transfer. And, increasingly, women who are choosing complete breast reconstruction through multiple lipofilling sessions, without an implant. In all of these scenarios, the ability to obtain very high-quality fat quickly and without complicating the procedure becomes a genuine surgical advantage.

That is precisely where the body-jet® eco comes in.

A trend that is no longer a trend: women want natural results

The industry data is clear: demand for procedures using the patient’s own autologous tissue has grown steadily over the past five years. Breast surgery patients — both aesthetic and reconstructive — are increasingly asking about alternatives to implants and about techniques that deliver results that look and feel natural.

Autologous fat transfer responds directly to that demand. With the body-jet® eco and the WAL technique, it is possible to carry out multiple progressive breast lipofilling sessions to gradually and naturally increase volume without introducing any foreign body. Each session adds volume, tissue quality and, thanks to the stem cells found in adipose tissue, additional regenerative benefits to the surrounding skin and tissue.

The final result, achieved over two or three interventions spaced out over time, can be aesthetically equivalent to a small or medium implant — with the advantage of using the patient’s own body tissue.

What is the body-jet® eco: precise, gentle, German

The body-jet® eco is a water-jet assisted liposuction device (WAL technique) designed specifically for the extraction of small volumes of fat with very high cell viability. Manufactured by Human Med AG in Germany, it is the entry-level model in the body-jet® range — the same WAL technology that has been the global benchmark in fat harvesting and transfer for over 20 years.

Its key advantages at a glance:

• ✔ No prior tumescence: simultaneous infiltration and aspiration; no waiting time.
• ✔ No centrifugation: the fat is used directly after natural decantation. Less manipulation = greater viability.
• ✔ Optimised adipocyte size (650–850 µm): ideal for precise breast lipofilling.
• ✔ No heat generation: preserves live nucleated cells, which is key for regenerative medicine.
• ✔ Portable and lightweight: easy to move between operating theatres or rooms within the same centre.
• ✔ Intuitive interface: short learning curve for any surgeon with basic liposuction experience.

Closed and safe system: the complete set-up for every procedure

A fundamental aspect that sets the body-jet® eco apart is that every operation requires its own sterile set of single-use consumables — connecting tube, sealing elements and disposable accessories — guaranteeing a fully closed system with no risk of cross-contamination between patients. This safety principle is non-negotiable and is built into the original design of the device.

For the collection and preparation of the harvested fat, the body-jet® eco is complemented by the FillerCollector® systems from Human Med AG, available in two versions to suit the needs of the centre:

Reusable FillerCollector® — complete set 350 ml

The reusable FillerCollector® is the advanced closed system for the collection, filtration and concentration of adipose tissue in small to medium quantities (up to 350 ml). The complete set includes harvesting cannulas, connecting tubes, collection container and all components required for the procedure.

Important: each use of the reusable FillerCollector® must always be accompanied by a single-use kit (REF 660023), which includes 2 sealing rings and 1 sealing plug. This guarantees the sterility and safety of the system in every intervention.

Ideal for centres with a high volume of lipofilling procedures that want to optimise cost per operation while maintaining the highest safety standards.

Single-use FillerCollector® — 250 ml

The single-use FillerCollector® (250 ml) is the fully disposable option for the washing, filtration and concentration of adipose tissue up to 250 ml. Ready to use, sterile from the factory and requiring no additional processing steps before fat transfer.

Its single-use design makes it the preferred solution for centres that prioritise maximum logistical simplicity, full material traceability and the elimination of any risk associated with the reuse of components.

Which one to choose? Quick comparison

Applications in breast surgery

1. Post-mastectomy breast reconstruction

In implant-based breast reconstruction, complementary lipofilling is today an increasingly recognised quality standard. It is used to correct irregularities, improve skin coverage and give the result a more natural appearance. The body-jet® eco allows the surgeon to harvest between 20 and 80 cc of high-quality fat during the same surgical procedure without turning it into a major intervention.

For oncological plastic surgeons already working with TIGR® Matrix or other coverage solutions, adding the body-jet® eco to the protocol is a logical step with minimal logistical impact.

2. Aesthetic breast augmentation without implant — multiple lipofilling sessions

This is perhaps the fastest-growing application in aesthetic breast surgery consultations: breast augmentation through progressive autologous fat transfer. Instead of an implant, the patient undergoes two or three interventions spaced out over time, each of which adds volume and improves the quality of the breast tissue.

The result: breasts with a completely natural appearance and feel, no foreign body, no visible implant scars and the added benefit of volume reduction at the donor site. For many women, this is exactly the alternative they were looking for.

The body-jet® eco, with its precision on small and medium volumes and the very high viability of the fat it harvests, is the ideal device for this type of multi-session protocol.

3. Hybrid augmentation (implant + simultaneous lipofilling)

For patients who want predictable volume but also the natural touch that only autologous fat can provide, hybrid augmentation combines both techniques in a single intervention. The body-jet® eco allows the surgeon to harvest the complementary fat during the same surgical procedure without adding significant time.

Which surgeons will benefit most from the body-jet® eco?

• Oncological plastic surgeons performing breast reconstruction who want to improve the final result with complementary lipofilling.
• Aesthetic breast surgeons interested in offering implant-free augmentation, hybrid augmentation or more natural results.
• Public hospital units with limited budgets who want to introduce WAL technology with an accessible initial investment.
• Multi-specialty clinics where several departments can share the same device: plastic surgery, gynaecology, maxillofacial, dermatology.
• Surgeons beginning their experience with WAL who prefer to start with the eco model before scaling up to the body-jet® evo.

Beyond the breast: other applications of the body-jet® eco

One of the practical advantages of the body-jet® eco is its versatility across specialties. The same device used for breast lipofilling can be applied across a wide range of procedures, making its acquisition a cross-departmental investment for the surgical centre.

• Facial rejuvenation, hands and décolleté: when the skin loses volume over time, autologous fat is the most natural and long-lasting filler available. Wrinkles, hollow cheeks, the back of the hands and the décolleté are all areas where lipofilling with the body-jet® eco delivers results that synthetic fillers simply cannot match.
• Buttock augmentation and shaping without implants: autologous fat gluteal lipofilling is one of the most in-demand alternatives to implants. The body-jet® eco allows the surgeon to harvest the necessary fat precisely and with high viability, delivering natural results without the risks associated with implants.
• Body contouring: removal of localised fat deposits in the abdomen, hips, thighs and flanks — areas that no diet can permanently eliminate.
• Treatment of scars, wounds and burns: autologous adipose tissue rich in stem cells (SVF) has clinically documented regenerative properties. Fat harvested with the body-jet® eco — free from thermal or mechanical stress — is particularly well suited for regenerative medicine applications, scar improvement and burn treatment.
• Treatment of complex anal fistulas: the injection of autologous fat around the fistula tract is a growing technique backed by published clinical evidence. Thanks to adipose-derived stem cells (ASC), the fat acts as a regenerative scaffold that promotes closure of the fistula tract, with documented improvement rates above 70–80% in clinical studies. It is particularly relevant in fistulas associated with Crohn’s disease and complex fistulas resistant to conventional treatments.
• Gynaecology, urology and maxillofacial surgery: specialties working with small volumes of fat for reconstructive or functional procedures will find in the body-jet® eco a precise, safe and easy-to-use solution.

In short: a hospital or clinic that incorporates the body-jet® eco does not acquire a device for a single specialty. It acquires a working platform that can be shared across departments, amortising its cost far more quickly than might initially appear.

Scientific backing: what the evidence says about WAL technology

Human Med AG’s WAL technology has over 20 years of clinical use behind it and a solid, continuously growing scientific evidence base. Published studies consistently demonstrate that fat harvested using WAL shows greater cell viability than fat obtained by conventional tumescent techniques, thanks to the absence of mechanical and thermal stress during extraction.

Some of the key results documented in the scientific literature:

• ✔ 90% cell viability in fat harvested with WAL without centrifugation or additional washing (Sasaki, Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2011).
• ✔ Take rate of up to 87% in breast augmentation with WAL lipofilling, with a documented mean of 76 ± 11% verified by MRI (Ueberreiter et al., 2010).
• ✔ Periglandular take rate of 81% versus 65% intrapectoral — confirming that the technique and injection zone determine the outcome (Herold et al., 2011).
• ✔ Complete breast reconstruction without implant possible through large-volume WAL lipofilling over multiple sessions, as a viable alternative to standard techniques (Hoppe et al., GMS German Medical Science, 2013).
• ✔ Surgical time reduction of over 40% compared to conventional tumescent liposuction (Taufig, Springer 2006).
• ✔ BEAULI™ Protocol (Body-jet® EAr, face and Lip Injection): a standardised method for large-volume breast and facial lipofilling, developed and published by Dr Klaus Ueberreiter, based entirely on the body-jet® WAL technology. Download the BEAULI™ Protocol here (PDF).

You can access the summarised publication with the most relevant studies here: WAL Scientific Publications Summary (PDF) — and browse the full research database at: WAL Scientific Evidence — UpViser Spain.

Conclusion: it is not a war, it is a tool

The demand for natural results in breast surgery is not a passing trend. It is a paradigm shift that is already reshaping plastic surgery consultations across Spain — and beyond. Women are asking questions, exploring their options, and more and more of them want a solution that does not involve a permanent foreign body.

The body-jet® eco, together with the FillerCollector® systems and Human Med AG’s single-use consumables, gives the surgeon a technically sound, clinically backed and economically accessible answer to that demand. It is not the largest or most complex device on the market. It is the most efficient at what it does: harvesting high-quality fat, safely, reproducibly and with solid evidence behind it.

Made in Germany. Available in Spain and Portugal exclusively through UpViser.

Would you like to incorporate the body-jet® eco into your clinic or hospital?

At UpViser we offer a personalised demonstration at your centre, hands-on support for your first procedures, and access to the full body of scientific evidence available on WAL technology.

+34 603 230 087
info@upviser.es

UpViser Spain — Exclusive distributor of body-jet® in Spain and Portugal