Patient satisfaction after high-volume lipoplasty: outcomes survey and thoughts on safety.

BACKGROUND

The technique of high-volume lipoplasty (HVL) remains controversial despite several reports of its safety and benefits.

OBJECTIVES

An outcomes survey was conducted to determine patient satisfaction with the results of HVL in a series of 92 consecutive cases. The literature concerning safety issues related to HVL is summarized, and suggestions for future guidelines and investigation are proposed.

METHODS

Ninety-two patients underwent HVL between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2001. Aspiration ranged from 5 to 15.7 L, with an average of 8.2 L per patient. No unplanned hospitalizations or transfusions were required, and no deaths occurred. Patients were questioned by telephone 13 to 49 months after HVL and asked to evaluate the benefits of surgery using a 4-point scale on which the lowest rating represented no long-term benefit and the highest rating indicated dramatic improvement. They were also asked to evaluate change in clothing size since surgery, with 0 indicating no size change and 4 indicating a size reduction of more than 6 sizes.

RESULTS

The response rate for the survey was 47% (43 of 92 patients). Patient satisfaction was high, averaging 3.4 on the 1-to-4 scale. On average, patients experienced a decrease of 3 to 4 clothing sizes.

CONCLUSIONS

With careful patient selection and attention to key safety issues, HVL can provide a high level of long-term satisfaction to patients.