Improvements in cardiovascular risk profile after large-volume lipoplasty: a 1-year follow-up study

Large-volume lipoplasty changes body composition during a single surgical intervention by selectively decreasing subcutaneous adipose tissue. Positive health benefits, previously reported for a cohort of 14 women at 4 months after surgery, include significant decreases in weight, systolic blood pressure, and fasting insulin levels.

In the present study, we sought to determine whether the benefits of altering body composition by large-volume liposuction observed at 4 months are sustained over longer periods of time.

Subjects were seen for an additional follow-up visit approximately 1 year (range 10 to 21 months) after surgery. Fasting insulin levels were measured in the 8 patients who had preoperative fasting insulin levels higher than 12 muU/mL. Weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and body circumferences were measured in all 14 subjects.

Compared with data obtained before surgery and 4 months after surgery, results at 10 to 21 months after lipoplasty showed that the improvements in body weight, systolic blood pressure, and fasting insulin levels observed 4 months after the procedure had been maintained.

Should these results be confirmed in larger studies, lipoplasty may prove to be a valuable tool for reducing some of the co-morbid conditions associated with obesity. (Aesthetic Surg J 2001;21:527-531.).