Abstract Background Lipedema is a chronic disorder characterized by abnormal subcutaneous fat accumulation, mainly in women’s lower limbs. Objectives To analyze the safety and efficacy of liposuction in treating lipedema. Methods A systematic review was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and MEDLINE until June 2024 using the terms “lipedema”, “liposuction”, “results”, and “complications”. Twenty-five studies were included (n=2,373 patients). Results Liposuction, mainly using the tumescent infiltration, reduced pain, body mass index, and functional limitations, with improvements in mobility and quality of life. Mean aspirated fat volume was 3,077 mL per session and 6,111 mL per treatment course. Complications were uncommon (hematomas, edema, anemia, DVT, and rare methemoglobinemia). Moreover, improvements were maintained during the follow-up, suggesting that the beneficial results were sustained over time. Although 15 studies reported using tumescent, only two fully described the anesthetic fluid composition. Conclusions Liposuction is a safe and effective treatment for lipedema, but variability in techniques and postoperative care highlights the need for standardized protocols and further research.
Vengoechea et al. (Tue,) studied this question.