Therapeutic Megalipoextraction or Megaliposculture

BACKGROUND: For a long time, surgeons hesitated to extract more than 2.5 liters of adipose tissue from a patient. Through the years, liposuction has advanced, now allowing megaliposculptures to be performed so that more than 10 liters can be extracted without posing any greater risk to the patient than a conventional esthetic liposculpture. METHODS: This article traces the progressive evolution of the technique, discussing complications and the concept of megaliposculpturing. RESULTS: The syringe-assisted extraction of large quantities of adipose tissue without transfusion, hypovolemic shock, or any major complication opens new horizons in the symptomatic treatment of certain types of osteoarthritis of the lower extremities and the potential complications of obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Large quantities of adipose tissue may safely, quickly and efficiently be extracted. Numerous investigations in various pathological domains can now begin after this first step (megalipotherapy). Therapeutic megalipoextraction can be done either as a preliminary indication or as a treatment of the residual adiposities that occur after bariatric operations.