title: Liposuction in benign symmetric lipomatosis: sense or senseless?
abstract: Benign symmetric lipomatosis is a rare form of typical fat distribution in the shoulders, the arms, and the neck that can compromise the respiratory, nutritional, and psychological status of the patient. Alcoholism, malignant tumors of the upper airways, endocrine tumors, hypothyroidism, diabetes, and hypertriglyceridemia are often associated with its occurrence. Surgical removal via lipectomy or liposuction can give good cosmetic results, although recurrences often occur. Liposuction has become the first choice to treat this disorder in patients with smaller masses. We have operated on four such cases in which liposuction failed and surgical excision had to be performed. We present a summary of the clinical characteristics of all four patients and discuss the different treatment options.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillo-Facial and Plastic Surgery, CHU Sart Tilman, Liége, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nicolas A C
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Verhelle
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Nizet
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van den Hof
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guelinckx
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Heymans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015187:Lipectomy / Q000379:methods; D008069:Lipomatosis, Multiple Symmetrical / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome