Combination Treatment of Osmidrosis by Liposuction and Rasping

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Excessive apocrine gland secretion and bacterial decomposition cause axillary osmidrosis, which results in physical discomforts and social problems of patients. Many surgical procedures have been introduced such as skin excision and simple closure, local flap, skin graft, subcutaneous shaving and liposuction method, but the results were not satisfactory to patients and several complications, such as symptom recurrence, hematoma, seroma, delayed wound healing, skin flap necrosis and scarring remain as problems. METHODS: For the purpose of reducing these problems, we employed combined treatment of liposuction and rasping method. From January 2006 to February 2008, total of 54 patients were treated with this procedure for bilateral axillary osmidrosis. RESULTS: Follow-up evaluation period was from 2 months to 12 months, and the results were satisfactory. In our method, the length of skin incision is less than 1 cm, so the resultant scar is negligible. Apocrine glands in subcutaneous tissue were mostly removed by liposuction apparatus and remained other glands in subdermal area were mostly removed by rasping. The recurrence rate and postoperative complication were minimal. CONCLUSION: Our method is very simple, short in operation time, and generates excellent results without specific complication.