PHOENIX - Cosmetic results following treatment with a 924-nm laser-assisted lipolysis device achieved high patient and physician satisfaction 18 months after treatment, a single-center study demonstrated.
At the annual meeting of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Dr. Robert A. Weiss reported treatment results with the SlimLipo laser system (Palomar Medical Technologies Inc.), which he began using in April 2008.
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This patient is shown before, and 3 months after, treatment with laser-assisted lipolysis. Photo courtesy Dr. Robert A Weiss |
The procedure involves up to three repetitions of a laser pass to melt fat and heat connective tissue followed by suction, said Dr. Weiss, director of the Maryland Laser, Skin, and Vein Institute in Hunt Valley, Md.
Data were obtained from 88 patients during follow-up visits at 1, 5, 6, 12, and 18 months. Areas treated included the abdomen (27), flanks/waist (31), thighs (14), arms (10), the submental area (12), and the knees (7). Some patients had more than one area treated.
The average fluence delivered was 28.6 kJ during the first pass, except for the submental area, which averaged 10 kJ, while the abdominal area averaged 35 kJ.
"Overall patient satisfaction was high, with 98% reporting that they were very satisfied with the results," said Dr. Weiss, also of the department of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. "Investigator assessment correlated with patient ratings, as 88% showed marked improvement at 6 and 12 months. Side effects included mild bruising in 39% of patients, which lasted for an average of 4 days." No skin burns were observed.
Dr. Weiss noted that with standard tumescent liposuction, drainage of tumescent lasts between 72 and 96 hours. With the SlimLipo, he said, duration of drainage was 12-24 hours, with a median of 14 hours. "We believe that is due to the laser channels that we make in the fat layer," he said.
Postoperative pain was rated as mild, with only five patients (6%) requiring more than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain control.
"No contour irregularities were noted and curved surfaces remained smooth without depressions," Dr. Weiss said. "Results achieved at 6 months were sustained for the longest follow-up at 2 years."
Dr. Weiss disclosed that he serves as a paid consultant for several medical device companies, including Palomar. He has also received speaker honoraria and research grants from the company.