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Pedal Fat Pad AtrophyNCT01796808

Fat Grafting for Pedal Fat Pad Atrophy

A study testing Pedal Fat Grafting and Local anesthetic in people with Pedal Fat Pad Atrophy, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

It is believed that the average person with an eighty year old life span will walk the distance of the world twice in their lifetime. The foot is comprised of a specialized fat pad to provide shock absorption and protection against breakdown. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Pedal Fat Pad Atrophy
What is being tested?
Pedal Fat Grafting and Local anesthetic
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
31 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Mar 2013to Apr 2017
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Aged 18 years or older and able to provide informed consent
  • Patients with foot pain at the plantar surface of the foot near the head of the metacarpals
  • 6 months post any surgical intervention to the foot
  • Willing and able to comply with follow up examinations, including ultrasounds and pedobarographic studies

Who cannot join

  • Age less than 18 years
  • Inability to provide informed consent
  • Feet with open ulcerations or osteomyelitis
  • Diabetics: Type I and II
  • Active infection anywhere in the body
  • Diagnosed with cancer within the last 12 months and /or presently receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment
Show all 11Show fewer
  • Known coagulopathy
  • Systemic disease that would render the fat harvest and injection procedure, along with associated anesthesia, unsafe to the patient.
  • Pregnancy
  • Subjects with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder (Subjects who are found to be stable on medication and receive psychiatric clearance could be eligible for study participation per the Physician's discretion).
  • Tobacco use: Last use within 1 year per patient report

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • UPMC Department of Plastic Surgery

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Autologous Fat Grafting for Pedal Fat Pad Atrophy

It is believed that the average person with an eighty year old life span will walk the distance of the world twice in their lifetime. The foot is comprised of a specialized fat pad to provide shock absorption and protection against breakdown. With all the walking humans do however, foot fat pad breakdown is inevitable. Trauma to the foot is compounded in the diabetic patients due to many reasons: loss of protective sensation secondary to neuropathy, reduced skin hydration, decreased soft tissue elasticity, elevated blood sugars and increased body weight to name a few. Increased foot pressure and decreased fat pad protection are the main contributing factors to callus formation, foot pain and ulcer formation.

Fat grafting is a cosmetic and reconstructive procedure that is used sometimes to help improve one's soft tissue thickness, shape and integrity. Autologous fat transplantation is a procedure using a patient's own fat that is taken by a small liposuction tube, from areas with a substantial amount of fat ( i.e. abdomen or thighs) and then transferred into the fat atrophied (decreased or worn out) area (in this case, the foot).

Read more

The investigators are performing this research in an effort to decrease foot pressure during activity and to increase the soft tissue thickness of the sole of the foot during one's lifetime. Ultimately this could help reduce foot pain, callus formation and even ulcer formation. The goal of this research is to see whether fat grafting will help decrease the prevalence of the aforementioned foot complications. The investigators hope that by using one's own fat tissue, he or she may have a longer duration of relief than by using other methods.

This is a randomized, cross-over designed study. Randomized means that patients will be enrolled by chance (like the flip of a coin) to one of two groups for the first part of the study. Cross-over means that, after the first part of the study or at one year, patients will move into the opposite group. One group will receive the fat grafting procedure with one year follow up (year A pathway) and the other will receive standard of care treatment from the patient's primary podiatrist during the first year (year B pathway). After the first year, patients will switch to the opposite year pathway for the next 12 months. Participation in this study will last approximately 24-26 months.

Read the detailed description

The etiology of plantar fat pad atrophy may be age-related, due abnormal foot mechanics, steroid use, or collagen vascular disease. Displacement or atrophy of the fat pad can lead to osseous prominences in the forefoot that may be seen with painful skin lesions. Disease states, such as diabetes, may have loss of soft tissue integrity. Fat pad atrophy, regardless of the etiology, may result in significant pain, epidermal lesions, or metatarsalgia. In sensate patients, the pain can lead to emotional and physical pain, leading to productivity and financial losses.1

It is well documented that plantar pressure is directly correlated with plantar tissue thickness, with the loss of plantar fat being a fundamental mechanism for pressure related foot disorders.2,3 Autologous fat grafting to areas of plantar fat pad atrophy may reduce plantar pressures, and thus serve as a treatment for metatarsalgia, corn and callus prevention, and possibly ulcer prevention in diabetics. Plastic surgeons, with significant skills in fat grafting, can make a significant contribution.

Current treatment modalities for fat pad atrophy include silicone injections, fat injections, and other temporary fillers; however, no objective studies using autologous fat have been performed. Approximately 30 adults who experience pain from fat pad atrophy, will have the option to participate. Through a randomized, controlled, cross-over study, some patients will receive autologous fat grafting, while some will receive standard of care podiatric treatment, then cross-over to fat grafting treatment after a year. Through pedobarograph and ultrasound assessments, the focal pedal pressure and tissue thickness following treatment will be documented over two years.

The investigators hypothesize that fat grafting for areas of increased pedal pressure will help decrease foot pressure during gait and increase soft tissue thickness on the foot pad, ultimately reducing pain. The investigators also hope to demonstrate that by using autologous fat with evidence-based fat transfer techniques, results may be durable. This pilot study will help build new collaborative efforts between Foot and Ankle Surgery, Podiatry and Plastic Surgery, combining expertise in foot biomechanics with reconstructive fat grafting.

Being tested
Pedal Fat Grafting, Local anesthetic
Keywords
pedal, atrophy, fat grafting, adipose tissue
Medical subject headings
Atrophy

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Pedal Fat GraftingProcedure or surgery

    Fat grafting is a minimally invasive clinical procedure that has been widely used by plastic surgeons within reconstructive surgery for many years and is considered a standard of care procedure in plastic surgery. Fat tissue to be used for grafting is harvested (usually from abdomen or thighs) with a small liposuction cannula. The fat tissue is then sterilely centrifuged and allowed to decant before separating the fluid and oil layers from the fat tissue fraction. The aspirated fat is then loaded into 1cc syringes and injected into the plantar fat pad using specialized injection cannulas.

    Postoperatively, the foot will be bandaged for twenty-four hours and the subject will be advised to limit ambulation. Over the next three weeks, the patient will be instructed to wear a cushioned, supportive sneaker and participate in only activities of normal daily living, with no excessive aerobic activity.

  • Local anestheticOther

    Also called Lidocaine, Epinephrine

    To numb the foot for the fat grafting procedure, lidocaine with epinephrine will be used. This will be injected near the posterior tibial nerve to numb the bottom of the foot.

    Local anesthetic of lidocaine with epinephrine will also be used to numb the fat graft harvest site (i.e. abdomen or thigh). This will allow a small incision to make so that tumescent solution can be injected into the area of fat graft harvest. Tumescent solution is a combination of injectible saline, epinephrine and lidocaine that causes numbness and vasoconstriction in the area where the fat will be harvested. This limits pain and bruising during the procedures. Only a very small amount of tumescent should be needed (i.e. <200ml). Only a few cc's of fat are needed for injection into the foot.

Study groups in NCT01796808
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Pathway AOtherScreening visit followed by pedal fat grafting procedure with local anesthetic and visits at: 1. 1 week 2. Post op study visit 2 (1 month) 3. Post op study visit 3 (2 month) 4. Post op study visit 4 (6 month) 5. Post op study visit 5 (12 month) 6. Crossover to standard podiatry visits 7. Study visit 6 (18 months) 8. Study visit 7 (24 months)
Receives: Procedure: Pedal Fat Grafting; Other: Local anesthetic
Pathway BOtherScreening visit followed by: 1. Study visit 1 (6months) 2. Study Visit 2 (12 months) 3. Crossover to Pathway A pedal fat grafting procedure and local anesthetic and visits at: 1. 1 week 2. Post op study visit 2 (1 month post procedure) 3. Post op study visit 3 (2 month post procedure) 4. Post op study visit 4 (6 month post procedure) 5. Post op study visit 5 (12 month post procedure)
Receives: Procedure: Pedal Fat Grafting; Other: Local anesthetic

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Demonstrate that autologous fat grafting decreases pedal pressure during gait and increase plantar tissue thickness.

    Pressure will be measured on the pedobarograph in kg/cm2 or psi. Tissue thickness will be measured by ultrasound as mm. These measures will be performed before and after treatment with fat grafting to assess changes over time.

    Measured: 1-2 years

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Autologous fat grafting will demonstrate durability over time due to its biologic compatibility

    Autologous fat grafting will demonstrate durability over time due to its biologic compatibility. Durability will be assessed via tissue thickness (ultrasound; mm), pressure (pedobarograph; psi), and pain score (validated Manchester Foot Pain Disability Index).

    Measured: 1-2 years

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted22 Feb 2013 (estimated)
  2. Study startMar 2013
  3. Primary completionApr 2017
  4. Study completionApr 2017

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
31 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01796808
Sponsor's protocol ID
PRO12100139
Status last verified
Apr 2017
First submitted
18 Feb 2013
Last updated
14 Feb 2018
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Bowling FL, Metcalfe SA, Wu S, Boulton AJ, Armstrong DG. Liquid silicone to mitigate plantar pedal pressure: a literature review. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2010 Jul 1;4(4):846-52. doi: 10.1177/193229681000400412.

    PubMed 20663447
  • Abouaesha F, van Schie CH, Armstrong DG, Boulton AJ. Plantar soft-tissue thickness predicts high peak plantar pressure in the diabetic foot. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2004 Jan-Feb;94(1):39-42. doi: 10.7547/87507315-94-1-39.

    PubMed 14729989
  • Abouaesha F, van Schie CH, Griffths GD, Young RJ, Boulton AJ. Plantar tissue thickness is related to peak plantar pressure in the high-risk diabetic foot. Diabetes Care. 2001 Jul;24(7):1270-4. doi: 10.2337/diacare.24.7.1270.

    PubMed 11423514
  • Espinosa N, Brodsky JW, Maceira E. Metatarsalgia. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2010 Aug;18(8):474-85. doi: 10.5435/00124635-201008000-00004.

    PubMed 20675640
  • Boulton AJ, Franks CI, Betts RP, Duckworth T, Ward JD. Reduction of abnormal foot pressures in diabetic neuropathy using a new polymer insole material. Diabetes Care. 1984 Jan-Feb;7(1):42-6. doi: 10.2337/diacare.7.1.42.

    PubMed 6546713
  • Young MJ, Cavanagh PR, Thomas G, Johnson MM, Murray H, Boulton AJ. The effect of callus removal on dynamic plantar foot pressures in diabetic patients. Diabet Med. 1992 Jan-Feb;9(1):55-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.1992.tb01714.x.

    PubMed 1551311
  • Chairman EL. Restoration of the plantar fat pad with autolipotransplantation. J Foot Ankle Surg. 1994 Jul-Aug;33(4):373-9.

    PubMed 7951190
  • van Schie CH, Whalley A, Armstrong DG, Vileikyte L, Boulton AJ. The effect of silicone injections in the diabetic foot on peak plantar pressure and plantar tissue thickness: a 2-year follow-up. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2002 Jul;83(7):919-23. doi: 10.1053/apmr.2002.33058.

    PubMed 12098150
  • Pu LLQ, Coleman SR, Cui X, Ferguson REH Jr, Vasconez HC. Autologous fat grafts harvested and refined by the Coleman technique: a comparative study. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008 Sep;122(3):932-937. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181811ff0.

    PubMed 18766062
  • Kwan RL, Zheng YP, Cheing GL. The effect of aging on the biomechanical properties of plantar soft tissues. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2010 Jul;25(6):601-5. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2010.04.003. Epub 2010 May 8.

    PubMed 20457479
  • Veves A, Boulton AJ. The optical pedobarograph. Clin Podiatr Med Surg. 1993 Jul;10(3):463-70.

    PubMed 8364849
  • Walter Stephen Snyder 1909-1977. Health Phys. 1978 Jan;34(1):1-2. No abstract available.

    PubMed 340428
  • Pow DV, Morris JF. Tunicamycin, puromycin and brefeldin A influence the subcellular distribution of neuropeptides in hypothalamic magnocellular neurones of rat. Cell Tissue Res. 1992 Sep;269(3):547-60. doi: 10.1007/BF00353909.

    PubMed 1423514
  • Balkin SW. Injectable silicone and the foot: a 41-year clinical and histologic history. Dermatol Surg. 2005 Nov;31(11 Pt 2):1555-9; discussion 1560. doi: 10.2310/6350.2005.31241.

    PubMed 16416638
  • van Schie CH, Whalley A, Vileikyte L, Wignall T, Hollis S, Boulton AJ. Efficacy of injected liquid silicone in the diabetic foot to reduce risk factors for ulceration: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2000 May;23(5):634-8. doi: 10.2337/diacare.23.5.634.

    PubMed 10834422

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Pedal Fat Grafting and Local anesthetic in people with Pedal Fat Pad Atrophy, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 11 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Feb 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Demonstrate that autologous fat grafting decreases pedal pressure during gait and increase plantar tissue thickness. (time frame: 1-2 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01796808, which also lists 17 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Feb 2018.

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