Hereditary progressive nodular lipomatosis: a report and selective review of a new syndrome.

Multiple hereditary lipomatosis has been reported very rarely in the literature. The largest number of lipomas previously reported in a single patient was 160. We report on a 45-year-old man who began to experience multiple lipomas at about age 26. The lipomas multiplied until they severely disfigured his entire torso, arms, and upper legs. Both sides of his body were affected to approximately equal degrees. A family history revealed that the patient's father, two brothers, and two nephews have all experienced multiple subcutaneous lipomas, although to a lesser degree. In treating the patient, what appeared to be very large lipomas were in fact found to be subcutaneous clusters of hundreds of small encapsulated lipomas. Lipomas were excised using suction lipectomy to treat different involved areas on eleven separate occasions. A total of 8,475 cc was removed over a two-year period. A modified, slightly less blunt cannula was developed to aspirate the clustered lipomas individually.

Suction-assisted lipectomy for correction of 202 figure faults in 101 patients: indications, limitations, and applications.

Since its introduction in the United States, suction-assisted lipectomy has proven to be a safe, effective technique for correction of figure faults. It has been greeted with considerable skepticism by many practitioners, however, owing to the poor results many have obtained in their initial attempts to apply similar techniques. Suction lipectomy using the blunt technique is a safe procedure that can yield consistently good results when appropriately applied. It is suggested that the principal reason others have had difficulty involves problems in patient selection. The technique may not be effective for the correction of generalized obesity and cannot be expected to dramatically alter overall appearance. Patients should be selected for treatment of specific "figure faults" and educated as to what may realistically be expected. The patient's emotional and psychological condition must be taken into consideration. We report a series of 101 patients treated with a total of 202 separate suction lipectomy procedures with good results and only two minor complications. A survey of patients treated by the method reveals a generally high level of satisfaction and some of the ambivalence that might be anticipated from such a technique.