Disclosed is a method of recovering a stromal vascular fraction from blood vessels contained in or proximate to adipose tissue comprising treating an adipose tissue containing sample comprising fat cells, blood vessels, and a stromal vascular fraction with ultrasonic cavitation for 5-20 minutes, wherein the fat cells and blood vessels are exploded, thereby releasing substantial numbers of intact stromal vascular fraction cells while substantially maintaining the viability of the cells constituting the stromal vascular fraction.