Colleagues pay tribute to fat-grafting pioneer Sydney Coleman, MD, 1954-2026

ASPS Life Member Sydney Coleman, MD, a legend of the specialty and innovator of fat grafting, passed away on Sept. 13 at age 71.

Dr. Coleman was widely regarded as the pioneer of the "LipoStructure technique," a fat-grafting method that provided the basis of every subsequent approach to fat grafting.

"Syd was an amazing pioneer and a true innovator for developing the practical techniques and instrumentation for modern fat grafting," says J. Peter Rubin, MD, MBA, Pittsburgh, past president of ASPS and immediate-past president of the International Society of Plastic Regenerative Surgeons. "He was a co-investigator and co-author on pivotal fat-grafting papers for limb reconstruction and was fiercely passionate about education, teaching and research. He had a very gentle manner and was a very kind person – and the impact he had on this specialty cannot be overstated."

Dr. Rubin presented Dr. Coleman with the ASPS Honorary Citation during Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2022 in Boston. He noted at the time that Dr. Coleman swam against the tide for much of his career to develop methods now used around the world. Dr. Coleman himself alluded to the challenge of gaining widespread acceptance in a piece he wrote for the Forum of Adipose Tissue & Stem Cell. He noted that when he began fat grafting in 1987, he noticed that adipose tissue transfer for facial filling increased facial volume and dramatically improved skin quality. Although he reported these findings at several medical conferences in the ensuing years, they failed to gain traction until colleagues began sending him patients who had undergone cancer and radiation therapy.

"What I found was that when we graft fat under the skin, it sends new blood supply where blood vessels grow into the fat," Dr. Coleman wrote. "Through personal findings, I understood that fat in particular is a healing organ and if you transpose adipose tissue from one place to another, it recurrently restores and rejuvenates the treated region."

During his 2008 term as ASPS president, Richard D'Amico, MD, Englewood, N.J., witnessed firsthand the novel and occasionally controversial approach to fat grafting driven by Dr. Coleman – as well as his efforts to pursue its efficacy in plastic surgery, despite the roadblocks he encountered.

"Syd was devoted to the specialty and devoted to science – and he also was ahead of the curve on adipose tissue," Dr. D'Amico recalls. "He believed deeply in the value of fat, that it could have a major regenerative role in soft-tissue reconstruction, and that we didn't know enough about that. He was meticulous in his clinical research, and he eventually turned from a maverick into an innovator. He refused to give up; he persevered with data-driven science and devotion. He really showed us how to use adipose tissue to the benefit of our patients."

ASPS President C. Bob Basu, MD, MBA, MPH, says Dr. Coleman's work continues to influence plastic surgeons' work to this day.

"Dr. Coleman's pioneering work in fat grafting helped establish an essential tool we use every day in the care of cosmetic and reconstructive patients," Dr. Basu says. "It speaks to the enduring impact of his contributions to our specialty."

Dr. Coleman balanced his research work with a successful practice in New York – in addition to serving as president of the International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science and the International Society of Plastic Regenerative Surgeons. He also collaborated regularly with University of Pittsburgh colleagues on DOD clinical trials. This work forged a tight connection with Dr. Rubin, who says he's still amazed at having the privilege to learn fat-grafting techniques from the man who created them.

"I got to learn fat grafting from Syd, shoulder-to-shoulder in the O.R. on some of the most difficult, technically challenging reconstructive cases I've ever seen," Dr. Rubin says. "There's no way to put a value on that. What I learned from him technically shaped my entire practice of fat grafting. I also loved being able to tell the residents, 'Today you're going to learn the Coleman technique from Dr. Coleman.' It was akin to being in the presence of a rock star for the residents."

In lieu of flowers, Dr. Coleman's family requests donations of research funds of your choice in Dr. Coleman's name as a fitting tribute to the man who would finish every one of his talks with a slide that highlighted the importance of continued research.

"We've lost a great friend," Dr. Rubin says. "The outpouring of love and tributes over the past few days speak to that. There are many of us with great stories about being with him in various locations around the world, but those stories will speak to the fact that he not only was an incredible surgeon, but a wonderful human being, as well."