Leg Volume in Patients with Lipoedema following Bariatric Surgery

Lipoedema is characterized as subcutaneous lipohypertrophy in association with soft-tissue pain affecting female patients. Recently, the disease has undergone a paradigm shift departing from historic reiterations of defining lipoedema in terms of classic edema paired with the notion of weight loss-resistant leg volume towards an evidence-based, patient-centered approach. Although lipoedema is strongly associated with obesity, the effect of bariatric surgery on thigh volume and weight loss has not been explored.

In a retrospective cohort study, thigh volume and weight loss of 31 patients with lipoedema were analyzed before and 10-18 and ≥19 months after sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Fourteen patients, with distal leg lymphoedema (i.e., with healthy thighs), who had undergone bariatric surgery served as controls. Statistical analysis was performed using a linear mixed-effects model adjusted for patient age and initial BMI.

Adjusted initial thigh volume in patients with lipoedema was 23,785.4 mL (95% confidence interval [CI] 22,316.6-25,254.1). Thigh volumes decreased significantly in lipoedema and control patients (baseline vs. 1st follow-up, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0001; baseline vs. 2nd follow-up, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0013). Adjusted thigh volume reduction amounted to 33.4 and 37.0% in the lipoedema and control groups at the 1st follow-up, and 30.4 and 34.7% at the 2nd follow-up, respectively (lipoedema vs. control p > 0.999 for both). SG and RYGB led to an equal reduction in leg volume (operation type × time, p = 0.83). Volume reduction was equally effective in obese and superobese patients (weight category × time, p = 0.43).

SG and RYGB lead to a significant thigh volume reduction in patients with lipoedema.