Detailed documentation of one lipolysis treatment: blood values, histology, and ultrasound findings

[Injection lipolysis]

A new treatment variation in the spectrum of aesthetic medicine has been investigated worldwide since 2004: so-called injection lipolysis. Advances in knowledge regarding the efficacy and mechanism of action have been achieved especially in Germany because most users are found in Germany when compared on an international level. The reason for this is that the combination of phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholic acid as active substances has been approved for i.v. treatment of fat embolisms. It is thus readily available, but the subcutaneous injection of the drug Lipostabil N® is considered as off-label use. Meanwhile injection lipolysis has become an integral component for many in the practice of aesthetic medicine. The international association of physicians performing lipolysis in the so-called NETWORK-Lipolysis (with more than 2,000 members worldwide) has in particular called for the development of internationally recognized treatment standards and protocols. When the indication for its use adheres to strict criteria and the physicians applying the method have participated in intensive training, subcutaneous injection of phosphatidylcholine/deoxycholic acid represents a meaningful addition to the scope of minimally invasive aesthetic medicine.

New advances in liposuction technology

Although suction-assisted liposuction under tumescent anesthesia remains the traditional method for body sculpting, newer technologies promise to increase efficiency, decrease surgeon fatigue, and minimize complication. Power-, ultrasound-, and laser-assisted devices are ideal in large volume cases and in areas of fibrous tissues as an adjunct to traditional liposuction. Although skepticism remains chemical lipolysis, more commonly termed mesotherapy or lipodissolve may be an alternative to surgical treatment of localized fat. This article reviews the recent advancements in the field of liposuction and the current literature which support their use.