Suction assisted lipectomy [SAL] as a replacement for conventional surgical excision of subcutaneous lipomata

Introduction: Lipomata are avascular, painless, slow growing benign tumors of mature fat cells. Surgery is often sought for aesthetic reasons. Conventional excision of lipomata leads to visible scarring which in cases of large or multiple lipomata can be contrary to the purpose of the consult. We present the preliminary results of a novel suction assisted technique for lipoma excision developed at our institute. Materials and Methods: 18 patients with subcutaneous lipomata were included, who among them had a total of 51 lipomata. A suction cannula was inserted through a single sub- centimetric aesthetically placed incision under local anaesthesia to excise the lipomata. Postoperative complications and cosmetic outcomes were noted. Results: Complete excision of up to 17 lipomata was possible in all patients through a single sub- centimetric incision. Cosmetic results were excellent without any intra- or post- operative complications. Conclusion: Suction assisted lipectomy (SAL) is an aesthetic, simple and safe technique requiring no special training, with complete lipomata clearance with minimal complications. We strongly recommend that SAL with capsular extraction as an ideal replacement for conventional surgery in moderate [4-10 cm] to large lipomata [>10 cms] and in multiple lipomatosis