Combined gluteoplasty: liposuction and lipoinjection.

From April of 1995 to August of 1998, 62 female and four male patients had gluteoplasties. To improve the gluteal region, two techniques that create excellent results in other parts of the body, liposuction and lipoinjection, were combined. The ages of the patients ranged from 18 to 52 years (mean, 31 years). Liposuction was done with a tumescent technique in the lumbosacral, trochanteric, and subgluteal region to improve gluteal shape. The amount of fat aspirated was only that necessary to obtain the desired contour. In all cases, liposuction was also performed in other areas. Lipoinjection was done with round-tip cannulas in different planes of the gluteal region, and the fat was applied in small strips. The quantity of fat infiltrated varied from 120 to 280 cc per gluteus, with a mean of 210 cc. The results were evaluated by the patients and the surgical team with preoperative and postoperative photographs. Follow-up ranged from 3 months to 3 years and 5 months, with a mean of 17 months. No patient was dissatisfied with the results, and more than 90 percent considered their results good or excellent. Liposuction complications consisted of four seromas, six visible irregularities, and two palpable irregularities. Lipoinjection complications occurred in 16 gluteus regions (12 percent); all had gluteal temporal hyperemia and erythema, which resolved with conservative treatment except in one case (4 cc of sterile material corresponding to fat necrosis was drained in that patient). No irregularities or depressions occurred in the gluteus. One case of probable fat embolism syndrome had a satisfactory evolution. This gluteoplasty technique is simple and low in cost, with minimal morbidity and very good results. It is important to note that a good result does not depend on a great amount of fat infiltration but rather on a harmonious way of combining both surgical procedures: fat elimination by liposuction and gluteus augmentation by lipoinjection.