Comparison of power water--assisted and traditional liposuction: a prospective randomized trial of postoperative pain.

BACKGROUND

Postoperative pain has always been underestimated by the majority of plastic surgeons. A prospective randomized trial compared power water-assisted liposuction with the traditional tumescent technique.

METHODS

All patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30 and excessive localized pathologic fat were recruited. Exclusion criteria specified a BMI greater than 30 or redundant anelastic skin. Patients were randomly assigned to power water-assisted or traditional liposuction.

RESULTS

From September 2005 to December 2005, 60 patients were recruited and analyzed. For the study, 28 patients were randomized to traditional liposuction and 32 to power water-assisted liposuction. A significant difference in postoperative pain was observed (p < 0.05). After 4 days, 87% of the patients who underwent power water-assisted liposuction were completely pain free, as compared with 3.6% of those treated with traditional liposuction. Furthermore, ecchymosis was significantly less for the patients who underwent power-assisted liposuction (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings demonstrate that power water-assisted liposuction is an almost painless procedure that produces less tissue trauma than traditional liposuction.