Liposana® & Leneva® Fat Pad Restoration

What Is Fat Pad Restoration?

Fat pad restoration is an injectable treatment that places a tissue graft beneath the skin in areas where the foot’s natural cushioning is deficient. The goal is to supplement the soft tissue between the skin and underlying bones.

Liposana® and Leneva® are both derived from donated human adipose tissue, commonly called fat. They are prepared differently and provide different forms of tissue support.

Leneva®

Leneva® is an allograft adipose matrix that preserves a framework from donated fatty tissue. This framework supports the patient’s cells as the treated area remodels and is used to supplement damaged or inadequate fatty tissue and support tissue reconstruction.

Liposana®

Liposana® is a processed human adipose tissue allograft that retains structural characteristics of fatty tissue. It is placed into areas of fat deficiency to provide cushioning and support tissue repair. Because it uses donor tissue, treatment avoids the additional step of harvesting fat from another area of the patient’s body.

Dr. Steinke will discuss which product and treatment approach are appropriate based on the location and extent of your fat pad loss.

Understanding the Foot’s Natural Fat Pad

The bottom of your foot contains a specialized layer of fatty tissue that helps absorb impact and protect underlying structures. This padding is particularly important beneath the heel and the metatarsal heads, the rounded ends of the bones at the ball of your foot.

With aging, injury, certain medical conditions, or changes in foot structure, this protective tissue can become thinner or shift away from areas where it is needed.

You may notice:

• Tenderness beneath prominent bones
• Pain when standing or walking on hard surfaces
• Discomfort that becomes worse when walking barefoot
• Painful pressure points beneath the ball of the foot or heel
• Recurring calluses in areas exposed to repeated pressure

An examination helps determine whether these symptoms are related to fat pad loss or another foot condition.

How Can Fat Pad Restoration Help?

 When there is less cushioning beneath a prominent bone, pressure becomes concentrated over a smaller area. This can make an otherwise ordinary step painful. Repeated pressure can also cause the skin to develop a callus.

Trimming a callus may provide relief, but it can return when the underlying pressure remains.

Fat pad restoration aims to improve cushioning beneath these pressure points and may help reduce discomfort and callus formation in selected patients.

An early clinical study of allograft adipose matrix reported improved patient comfort, reduced callus presence, and a return to daily activities. These findings are encouraging, although the study was small and individual results vary.

Fat Pad Restoration and Recurrent Wounds

 Loss of protective padding can contribute to skin breakdown over pressure points, particularly in people with reduced sensation from diabetic neuropathy.

For selected patients with a history of repeated wounds in the same location, fat pad restoration may be considered as part of a plan to improve cushioning and reduce pressure on vulnerable skin.

Small studies have explored this approach in patients at risk for ulcers, but its ability to prevent recurrent wounds has not been firmly established.

Protective footwear, pressure relief, regular skin checks, and appropriate wound care remain essential. An active wound, infection, or circulation problem requires a separate evaluation and treatment plan.

What to Expect During Fat Pad Restoration

Fat pad restoration can be performed in an office setting using local anesthesia.

During the procedure:

• The treatment area is cleaned and numbed.
• The tissue graft is carefully placed beneath the skin through a small entry point using a needle or cannula.
• A dressing is applied to protect the treated area afterward.

The location and amount of tissue placed depend on the areas of padding loss and your treatment plan.

Before proceeding, Dr. Steinke will review the expected benefits, alternatives, and risks with you. Potential risks include soreness, swelling, bruising, infection, and a reaction to the graft. Donor screening and tissue processing reduce, but do not eliminate, risks associated with donated tissue.

Protecting Your Foot After the Procedure

The treated area needs protection while it recovers. Your instructions may include:

• Wearing cushioned footwear
• Using special padding
• Reducing standing and walking
• Temporarily limiting exercise
• Avoiding excessive pressure on the treated area

Recovery instructions are individualized. Follow-up visits allow Dr. Steinke to assess your comfort, skin condition, and readiness to increase activity. Supportive shoes and orthotics may remain part of your ongoing care.