title: A Multicenter Controlled Study to Evaluate Multiple Treatments With Nonthermal Focused Ultrasound for Noninvasive Fat Reduction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Demand for nonsurgical esthetic body procedures has led to the development of noninvasive techniques for reducing localized subcutaneous adipose tissue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed multiple treatments with nonthermal focused ultrasound for noninvasive abdominal treatment of excess fat deposits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were randomly assigned to Group 1 for a 4-week control phase before undergoing 3 abdominal fat reduction treatments, at 2-week intervals, or to Group 2 for immediate treatment. Weight, abdominal circumference, tolerability to treatment, subject satisfaction, and adverse events were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weight remained stable in the 126 participants. Mean reduction in midline circumference was 2.5 ± 2.1 cm in the Group 1 and 3.5 ± 2.7 cm in the Group 2 at Week 22. The effect of multiple treatments was cumulative with a steady decrease in abdominal circumferences during the study. Erythema was observed in 28% of treatments but was mild and transient in nature. Subjects tolerated the treatments well and were satisfied with treatment outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of multiple nonthermal focused ultrasound treatments of excess abdominal fat deposits. Although the remodeling effect is minor compared with traditional surgical procedures, successive focused ultrasound treatments significantly reduced treatment area circumference, while avoiding invasive techniques and their associated disadvantages.
authors.affiliation: *Coleman Center for Cosmetic Dermatologic Surgery, Metairie, Louisiana; †Maryland Laser Skin and Vein Institute, Hunt Valley, Maryland; ‡Department of Plastic Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; §Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel; ‖Syneron Medical Ltd., Yokneam, Israel.
authors.forename: William P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kenkel
authors.forename: Dean D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Ad-El
authors.forename: Ruthie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amir
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000528:radiation effects; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult