Orbital
Dermis-Fat Graft
An autologous dermis-and-fat graft used for socket reconstruction and volume restoration — particularly valuable in children, where it can grow and stimulate orbital development.
Medically reviewed by Kathleen M. Duerksen, MD, FACSOculoplastic SurgeonLast updated June 2026
What Is a Dermis-Fat Graft?
A dermis-fat graft uses a disc of the patient’s own dermis and subcutaneous fat, typically harvested from the lower abdomen or the outer quadrant of the buttock. Because it is autologous, it avoids the rejection and disease-transmission risks associated with donor or synthetic materials, though graft viability and resorption remain considerations. Uniquely, the graft can grow in children, providing ongoing stimulus for orbital development — a significant advantage over fixed-size implants in early childhood.
When It Is Used
- Primary socket reconstruction in young children, where orbital-growth stimulation is needed.
- Replacement of an exposed or infected synthetic orbital implant.
- Correction of a post-enucleation superior-sulcus deformity (volume deficit).
- Reconstruction after orbital exenteration.
Technique & Outcomes
The graft is measured approximately 25 mm in diameter; the dermis is often shaped into a dome to improve prosthesis motility. The fat provides volume while the dermal surface becomes lined by conjunctiva over time. Potential complications include fat atrophy (which makes final volume somewhat unpredictable), central graft ulceration, cyst or granuloma formation, and donor-site morbidity. When it succeeds, a dermis-fat graft provides a stable, vascularized socket surface that tolerates a prosthesis well.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why use the patient's own tissue instead of an implant?
- A dermis-fat graft is autologous, so there is no concern about biocompatibility, infection of a foreign body, or disease transmission. Crucially, it can grow with a child, providing ongoing stimulus for orbital development, and it can replace an exposed or extruded synthetic implant by bringing in a fresh, vascularized tissue surface.
Your Surgeon
Kathleen M. Duerksen, MD, FACS
Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery of the Eyelids, Orbits and Tear Ducts
🏅 ASOPRS Fellowship Trained
Ready to discuss Dermis-Fat Graft?
Schedule a consultation with Kathleen M. Duerksen, MD, FACS to learn if this procedure is right for you.