Body contouring. Suction-assisted lipolysis and fat transplantation techniques.

Suction lipolysis is a technique of blunt aspiration of fat that allows contouring and shaping of fatty distributions in a variety of areas of the body. Sufficient experience with the technique exists so that it may be considered an acceptable and safe procedure in the armamentarium of the plastic and reconstructive surgeon. It is a basically low-risk surgical procedure that usually is performed on an outpatient basis, and its results are permanent. Autologous fat transplantation or microlipoinjection is a recent outgrowth of liposuction surgery. It involves gentle aspiration of free fat cells from one area of the body and reinjection of these cells into other areas to accomplish either cosmetic or reconstructive soft-tissue augmentation. It is still investigational in nature, and accurate, reproducible data demonstrating its prolonged efficacy are not yet available.