Safety and Efficacy of Deoxycholic Acid Injection for Hypogastric Fat Reduction: A Pilot Study.

Abstract

Although deoxycholic acid (DCA) has been proposed for use in other areas, it is used primarily for treating moderate-to-severe fat in the submental area. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of DCA for fat reduction in the hypogastric region. A prospective, longitudinal, nonrandomized, open-label, interventional pilot study was performed. Deoxycholic acid was transcutaneously injected in upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left hypogastric zones. Fat thickness was assessed using calipers, ultrasound, and 3-dimensional scanning. The primary end point safety was evaluated by laboratory tests and the incidence of adverse events. Fourteen patients (54 treatment sessions) were included. The mean total volume administered was 26.6 mL. The main local adverse events were edema (94.4%), bruising (90.7%), and erythema (79.6%), all being self-limited (the mean duration 9.6, 7, and 2 days, respectively). A DCA dose was significantly associated with erythema duration (p = .0421) but not with edema duration (p = .1611) or bruising incidence (p = .1013). Measurement using calipers, ultrasound, and 3-dimensional scanning revealed significant fat thickness reduction. Patient-reported outcome measure scores revealed a significant improvement in patient satisfaction. Deoxycholic acid may be a safe and effective option for reducing fat thickness in the hypogastric region, although given the cost/benefit ratio probably should be reserved for small deposits.