• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 2008

Purpose: Advanced techniques now make it possible to remove considerable amounts of subcutaneous adipose tissue more safely with minimum blood loss. However, few have analyzed the metabolic consequences of liposuction. The purpose of this study was to identify the early effects of the surgical removal of subcutaneous fat on metabolic changes in patients who have undergone liposuction. Methods: Nineteen patients were evaluated from June 2005 to December 2005. Preoperative body weight, serums levels of lipids, apolipoprotein A1, dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA), uric acid, insulin, and glucose were evaluated. Insulin resistance was determined using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), which is based on fasting glucose and insulin concentrations. All of these data were remeasured in 1 and 4 weeks postoperatively. Tumescent fluid was infiltrated using the superwet technique. The liposuction device used was a $Liposlim^{(R)}$ power-assisted unit. Results: Average volumes of infiltrate and aspirate were 3,268mL and 2,892mL, respectively. Results in 1 week postoperatively demonstrated a significant difference in high-density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels. However, all values were within normal limits and returned to baseline in 4 weeks postoperatively.Conclusion: This study provides little to support the presumed therapeutic effect of liposuction. And, it is unclear whether liposuction can prevent or be used to treat the metabolic complications of obesity. However, the results of the present study lead us to believe that liposuction is a metabolically safe procedure.