Cells present in adipose tissue are used to promote wound healing in apatient. Methods of treating patients include processing adipose tissue todeliver a concentrated amount of regenerative cells obtained from the adiposetissue to a patient. The methods may be practiced in a closed system so thatthe regenerative cells are not exposed to an external environment prior tobeing administered to a patient. Accordingly, in a preferred method, cellspresent in adipose tissue are placed directly into a recipient along with suchadditives necessary to promote, engender or support a therapeutic benefit.