Liposculpture (Lipoplasty)

Lipoplasty is a term referring to a surgical procedure to reshape localised fat deposits. There are many types of lipoplasty, the main being Liposuction, which refers to removal of fat tissue with a suction machine.

Liposculpture invented by Dr Pierre Fournier in 1985, refers to a procedure in which a syringe is used to improve the contour of the body.

Other techniques are ultrasound-assisted (UAL) and power assisted liposuction (PAL)and vibroliposuction etc.

The most popular regions treated are hips, inner and outer thighs, abdomen, arms and under the chin. Men commonly request the flanks (love handles), breasts (man boobs) and abdomen.

Tumescent Liposculpture Procedure

The procedure is performed with oral sedation and tumescent (which means to swell) anaesthetic solution. Small punctures a few millimeters in length are made in the skin.

Special anaesthetic solution is infiltrated into the fatty deposits to be treated, this completely numbs the areas and stops bleeding by shrinking blood vessels.

The fatty deposits are then removed using a fine metal tube called a cannula, which is attached to a large syringe. Even though the patient is sedated they are still able to cooperate and even stand up, so the contours can be sculpted to achieve the best desired results.

Each procedure takes 3-4 hours depending on the number of areas treated.

Following the procedure there will be some swelling and some bruising is expected. Small access punctures are left open to allow the remaining anaesthetic, blood stained fluid to drain out. Small pads are worn to absorb this and it is expected to dry up by the next day.

An appropriate surgical garment is worn 24 hours a day for at least 2 weeks, removing it only to shower. It is advisable to continue wearing the garment support for up to 6 weeks, at least for half a day.

History of Lipoplasty

Lipoplasty (liposuction, liposculpture, UAL, PAL etc) is currently one of the most popular cosmetic procedures globally.

In 1921, a French surgeon, Dr Dujarrier attempted to remove fat from the legs of a ballerina using a curette. Unfortunately, infection followed and as no antibiotics existed, one of her legs had to be amputated.

It was not until 1974 that Italian father and son cosmetic surgeons, Drs Arpad and Giorgio Fischer, commenced work on cannulas (surgical instruments) to remove fat deposits through tiny incisions. In 1975 they produced the first functional instrument and operated on a group of patients. Their work was first published in the Bulletin of the International Academy of Cosmetic Surgery in 1976. Dr Fischer travelled to Paris to demonstrate liposculpture on Dr Pierre Fournier's patients.

Liposuction was popularised in 1980 by Dr Yves Gerard Illouz in which excess fat was removed by a suction machine.

The new technique of syringe liposculpture was discovered in 1985 by Dr Pierre Fournier.

American dermatologist Dr Jeffrey Klein developed the tumescent technique in 1987, making it possible to perform liposculpture totally under local anaesthetic making it safer and an almost bloodless procedure.

Following training in Lipoplasty in USA and Europe Dr Zurek commenced syringe liposculpture in 1995 and since then has performed over 1000 procedures, with no significant complications.