The Clinical Experiences of Ultrasound-Assisted Lipo plasty

ABSTRACT

Suction-assisted lipoplasty is now flrequently-performed pre cedure in plastic surgery, but it has several drawback including bleeding contour irregularity due to its traumatic nature. The recently introduced ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL) technique uses ultrasonic energy which has specificity in lower density tissue like fat tissue. Therefore, UAL can minimize these compli cations. We performed UAL in 21 patients from OCt. 1988 to Jun 1999. There were 17 females and 4 males, and patient age ranged from 18 to 52 years(average 40 years). A total of 58 areas were operated on for an averge of 28 areas per patient. We used a fivestage technique consisting of tumescent infiltration, ultrasonund treatment, emulsion suction, endermology, and postperative pressuregarment application. Total volume (fluid and fat) removed ranged from 200 to 4,050 cc(averge 1,750 cc) per patient and the lipocrit within the aspirate was 4-8%, which was significantly lower compared with traditional liposuction Residual emulsion was evacuated by endermology and pressuregarment was applied to all patients for postoperative 2-3 months. Pestoperative complications were seroma, induration, and paresthesia, but all these problems resolved spontaneously within a month. One patient required secondary UAL for correction of excess fat at the medial knee. We believe that UAL is a safe and excellent technology in liposuction because of reduced surgical bleeding and good contral of body contour.