A Comparative Study of the Effect of External Ultrasound with Power Assisted Liposuction(PAL)

ABSTRACT

This study was performed to compare the effect of external ultrasound assisted PAL(power assisted liposuction) with that of PAL alone. We performed 17 cases of liposuction from January 2003 to June 2003. For comparing both systems, we treated the right side(study group) with external ultrasound assisted PAL and the left side(control group) with PAL alone. To evaluate the difference in results between two groups, we surveyed three objective and four subjective items. Objectives were categorized as "Reduction rate of postoperative swelling", "Efficiency of suction" and "Histologic finding of aspirated fat tissue". Subjectives were also filed as "Degree of postoperative bruising", "Cannula resistance that operator felt", "Degree of postoperative pain" and "Patient's satisfaction". We assessed by questionnaire three times at 1day, 7 days and 30 days after operation. There were statistically significant differences in two of the subjective items; "Degree of postoperative pain at postoperative 1 day" and "Cannula resistance that operator felt". This study concludes that external ultrasound PAL is more effective high mobility of fat tissue and low tension of surrounding tissue. External ultrasound PAL will be more useful in case of large volume liposuction and revision procedures.