Cellulite Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Cellulite, including details on treatment, reduction, removal, cures.

Comparison of power water - assisted and traditional liposuction: a prospective randomized trial of postoperative pain.

Araco A, Gravante G, Araco F, Delogu D, Cervelli V

Department of Plastic Surgery, Crown House Hospital, Green Street, Warley, B69 4JB, Birmingham, UK.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain has always been underestimated by the majority of plastic surgeons. A prospective randomized trial compared power water-assisted liposuction with the traditional tumescent technique. METHODS: All patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30 and excessive localized pathologic fat were recruited. Exclusion criteria specified a BMI greater than 30 or redundant anelastic skin. Patients were randomly assigned to power water-assisted or traditional liposuction. RESULTS: From September 2005 to December 2005, 60 patients were recruited and analyzed. For the study, 28 patients were randomized to traditional liposuction and 32 to power water-assisted liposuction. A significant difference in postoperative pain was observed (p < 0.05). After 4 days, 87% of the patients who underwent power water-assisted liposuction were completely pain free, as compared with 3.6% of those treated with traditional liposuction. Furthermore, ecchymosis was significantly less for the patients who underwent power-assisted liposuction (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The study findings demonstrate that power water-assisted liposuction is an almost painless procedure that produces less tissue trauma than traditional liposuction.

Published 7 May 2007 in Aesthetic Plast Surg, 31(3): 259-65.
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