Liposuction treatment improves disease-specific quality of life in lipoedema patients.

Abstract

This study examined the disease‐specific quality of life (QoL) in lipoedema patients undergoing treatment for the condition with liposuction. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients (n = 69) who underwent liposuction for treatment of lipoedema between 2004 and 2019, and gathered data on patient age, body mass index, the number of liposuction sessions, and the amount of fat removed per side. The study also prospectively evaluated the QoL in 20 lipoedema patients before and after liposuction using the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment for lymphatic diseases questionnaire. The mean age was 50.6 ± 12.8 years, and the average number of liposuction sessions performed was 2.9 ± 1.9, with a mean volume of 1868 ± 885.5 mL of fat removed per side. Before treatment with liposuction, disease‐specific QoL in patients with lipoedema was low on every single subscale as well as on the global score and showed a significant improvement in all aspects after liposuction. There was a significant correlation between a higher number of liposuction treatment sessions and general health status in lipoedema patients (P = .007). Liposuction greatly improves the QoL in lipoedema patients. A higher number of liposuction treatment sessions seem to have a positive effect on general health status in these patients.