Background Lipedema is a loose connective tissue disease predominantly in women identified by increased nodular and fibrotic adipose tissue on the buttocks, hips and limbs that develops at times of hormone, weight and shape change including puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Lipedema tissue may be very painful and can severely impair mobility. Non-lipedema obesity, lymphedema, venous disease, and hypermobile joints are comorbidities. Lipedema tissue is difficult to reduce by diet, exercise, or bariatric surgery. Methods This paper is a consensus guideline on lipedema written by a US committee following the Delphi Method. Consensus statements are rated for strength using the GRADE system. Results Eighty-five consensus statements outline lipedema pathophysiology, and medical, surgical, vascular, and other therapeutic recommendations. Future research topics are suggested. Conclusion These guidelines improve the understanding of the loose connective tissue disease, lipedema, to advance our understanding towards early diagnosis, treatments, and ultimately a cure for affected individuals.
Background: Lipedema is a loose connective tissue disease affecting the limbs of women, that is difficult to lose by diet, exercise, or bariatric surgery. Publications from Europe demonstrate that lipedema reduction surgery improves quality of life for women with lipedema. There are no comparable studies in the United States (USA). The aim of this study was to collect data from women with lipedema in the USA who have undergone lipedema reduction surgery in the USA to determine if quality of life, pain, and other measures improved after lipedema reduction surgery. Methods: Subjects were recruited and consented online for a 166-item questionnaire in REDCap. In total, 148 women answered the questionnaire after undergoing lipedema reduction surgery in the USA. Significance set at P < 0.05 was determined by ANOVA, Tukey’s multiple comparison test, or paired t -test. Results: Quality of life improved in 84% and pain improved in 86% of patients. Ambulation improved most in lipedema Stage 3 (96%). Weight loss occurred in all stages by 3 months after surgery. Complications included growth of loose connective tissue within and outside treated areas, tissue fibrosis, anemia, blood clots, and lymphedema. Conclusions: Women with lipedema noticed significant benefits after lipedema reduction surgery in the USA. Prospective studies are needed to assess benefits and complications after lipedema reduction surgery in the USA.
Patient: Female, 31-year-old Final Diagnosis: Lipedema Symptoms: Bruising • leg edema • leg pain Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Endocrinology and Metabolic • Family Medicine • Medicine, General and Internal • Metabolic Disorders and Diabetics • Plastic Surgery • Psychiatry Objective: Rare co-existance of disease or pathology Background: Lipedema is a loose connective tissue disease that causes disproportionate subcutaneous fat accumulation on the extremities. As a result of the increased subcutaneous tissue accumulation, lipedema is often confused with obesity by both physicians and patients. Poor awareness and limited diagnosis of lipedema contribute to the confusion of lipedema with obesity and can lead to decreased body image acceptance. Patients with lipedema may have anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by a distortion of body image, incorrect self-identification of being overweight, restricted eating behavior, and a relentless pursuit of weight loss. Case Report: A young woman with disproportionate fat accumulation on the lower half of her body self-identified as having obesity. She developed restrictive eating behavior and became obsessed with weight loss, resulting in anorexia nervosa. Her disproportionate subcutaneous tissue persisted despite losing weight to reach a nadir BMI of 15 kg/m 2 . After a decade-long struggle, her eating disorder resolved, and she maintained a healthy weight and BMI of 21.5 kg/m 2 but disproportionate fat remained in her lower body. She experienced increasing leg tenderness, pain, and easy bruising and was diagnosed with lipedema. Conclusions: Lack of recognition of lipedema by medical professionals and the public as a weight loss-resistant disease can affect body image acceptance. Lipedema was mistaken for obesity by the young woman in this case and likely played a role in her development of an eating disorder. Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, are not rare and may be more common in women with lipedema.
Objective Does short-term use of pneumatic compression devices (PCD) and off-the-shelf compression alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life in women with lipedema and secondary lipolymphedema? Methods Prospective, randomized controlled, industry-sponsored, proof-in-principle study comparing PCD plus conservative care (PCD+CC) to CC alone (control). Adult females with bilateral lipedema and secondary lymphedema were randomized to PCD+CC or CC. Outcome measures were lower limb and truncal circumferential measurements, bioimpedance, and quality-of-life, symptom, and pain intensity questionnaires. Results Both groups experienced improvements in leg circumference and bioimpedance with more improvement in the PCD+CC group than the CC group. Pain scores of the SF-36 survey and numerical rating scales were improved in the PCD+CC group. Wong–Baker Faces scores showed trends toward improvement in both groups. Conclusions This proof-in-principle study supports conservative management with graduated compression and with or without PCD for improvement in leg circumference, bioimpedance measurements, and pain in patients with lipedema.
Case series Patients: Female, 55-year-old • Female, 38-year-old • Female, 62-year-old Final Diagnosis: Lymphedema Symptoms: Skin fibrosis • swelling Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Liposuction and lipofilling • suction lipectomy Specialty: Dermatology • Plastic Surgery • Surgery Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Lipedema is a loose connective tissue disease characterized by disproportionate subcutaneous adipose tissue hypertrophy in the extremities. There is evidence of impaired lymphatic function in women with lipedema at all stages without signs of trophic skin changes associated with hereditary or acquired lymphedema. A modification of suction lipectomy is used to treat lipedema tissue and can reduce pain, limb size, and limb swelling and reduce the need for compression in women with lipedema. Studies have shown that modified liposuction can improve quality of life and mobility. There are no reports of lymphatic injury after suction lipectomy in patients with lipedema in PubMed indexed journals. Case Reports: Three women with lipedema who had no prior venous or lymphatic disease developed new-onset symptomatic International Society of Lymphology (ISL) Stage 2 or 3 lymphedema and skin and tissue changes within 6 months to 1 year after suction lipectomy for lipedema tissue on the legs. Each of the 3 women had their surgeries performed using different suction devices and under different types of anesthesia. Two of the lymphatic injury cases had subsequent nuclear lymphoscintigrams that confirmed impaired lymphatic function. Conclusions: We report 3 cases of women with lymphatic injuries after modified suction lipectomy to treat lipedema. Clinical history, exams, and confirmatory studies support the assessment that suction lipectomy caused newly-manifested signs and symptoms of lymphedema. Further study is needed to determine the risk of permanent lymphatic injury with suction lipectomy in larger numbers of lipedema patients.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.