Clinical Experience of Power- Assisted Lipoplasty(PAL)

ABSTRACT

Many people desire body contouring. Liposuction is a powerful tool for plastic surgeons in body contouring and widely used in many countries. The ideal liposuction technique allows greater volumes to be aspirated while minimizing blood loss, operative time, and complication. The mechanism of liposuction involves mechanical suctioning, followed by destruction of fat tissue by cannula movement. In PAL, a cannula powered by compressed nitrogen gas or an electric power source reciprocates between 2000 and 4000 cpm with a 2-3mm amplitude. We have treated 12 patients by PAL during 2001 January-September with excellent results. PAL made surgeons less fatique and discomfort, and resulted in shorter operation times, and decreased seroma formation and less scars at the incision site. PAL is also effective in fibrous fat aspiration in case of gynecomastia, superficial suction, large volume removal, and secondary liposuction. Conclusively the technique is safe, fast and capable of producing results comparable to those achieved with traditional or ultrasonic-assisted lipoplasty.