Long-term Outcome After Surgical Treatment of Lipedema

Long-term Outcome After Surgical Treatment of Lipedema
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Warren Peled, Anne MD; Slavin, Sumner A. MD; Brorson, Håkan MD, PhD
Annals of Plastic Surgery: March 2012 – Volume 68 – Issue 3 – p 303–307
doi: 10.1097/SAP.0b013e318215791e
Reconstructive Surgery

Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
University of California-San Francisco
505 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0932, USA
[email protected]

Lipedema is a condition characterized by abnormal deposition of adipose tissue in the lower extremities leading to circumferential bilateral lower extremity enlargement typically seen extending from the hips to the ankles. Diagnosis of the condition is often challenging, and patients frequently undergo a variety of unsuccessful therapies before receiving the proper diagnosis and appropriate management. Patients may experience pain and aching in the lower extremity in addition to distress from the cosmetic appearance of their legs and the resistance of the fatty changes to diet and exercise. We report a case of a patient with lipedema who was treated with suction-assisted lipectomy and use of compression garments, with successful treatment of the lipodystrophy and maintenance of improved aesthetic results at 4-year postoperative follow-up.