INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF LIPOSUCTION ON THE PERFORATOR VESSELS USING COLOR DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY

In this clinical study, the effect of conventional liposuction on musc ulocutaneous and fasciocutaneous perforator vessels was investigated T ilt: perforator vessels in the abdominal and lateral and medial thigh regions in 7 patients and in the abdominal region in 3 patients (a tot al of 38 anatomic regions in 10 patients) were marked preoperatively b y color Doppler ultrasonography, Following a standard Liposuction proc edure, the changes in the number of the perforators in those regions w ere detected by the same method postoperatively at 2 weeks and 3 month s. The number of cannula passes employed and total volume of the aspir ate fur each region were also recorded. The results of the Doppler exa minations showed that 57.8% of abdominal, 50.0% of lateral thigh and 5 3.8% of medial thigh perforators could not be detected at 2 weeks and 3 months (p<0.01) postoperatively. Both the number and the locations o f the perforators were found to be identical for each anatomic region at the two postoperative Doppler examinations at 2 weeks and 3 months. The changes in the number of the perforators did not show any type of correlation with the number of cannula passes and the aspirate volume . The results of this study have shown that conventional liposuction m ay have a traumatic effect an the perforator vessels passing from the deep fascia towards the overlying skin. This observation has led us to suggest that a history of previous liposuction should be an indicatio n for preoperative evaluation of the perforators when a musculocutaneo us or fasciocutaneous nap is planned in the suctioned regions. This ma y prevent problems related with flap viability.