Deep liposuction of the lumbar triangle
This work is not about rib remodeling: it is about liposuction, and the two should not be mixed. It describes a technique of ultrasound-guided deep liposuction of the lumbar triangle, applied in 142 patients. It is used as a complement for waist definition, and its figures are its own, distinct from those of rib remodeling.
What makes this liposuction different
Two things. First, where: the lumbar triangle, a deep zone of the lumbar region, not superficial fat.
Second, how: with ultrasound as a guide during the procedure, specifically to avoid contact with vital organs. Working at depth without image control is a different matter.
The results
One hundred and forty-two patients with informed consent. Waist circumference was measured before surgery and at 3 months, and a satisfaction survey was administered.
| What was measured | Result |
|---|---|
| Patients | 142 |
| Waist diameter difference at 3 months | between 8 and 15 cm |
| Satisfaction at 3 months | 100% |
| Serious complications | none observed |
A caution about the figures
Those 8 to 15 cm are from liposuction, not from rib remodeling. They are different procedures with different evidence, sometimes combined in the same patient. Adding or conflating their figures gives a wrong impression of what each one does.
For rib remodeling figures there are its own studies: the 3,805-patient cohort (11 cm mean) and the 318-patient meta-analysis (8.59 cm mean at 3 months).
A range of «8 to 15 cm» is also not a mean: it describes the spread of the series. And 100% satisfaction at 3 months, measured by an in-house survey, should be read with the usual caution.
Who signs it
Unlike most works in this line, here the first author is not Dr. Manzaneda but E. A. Flores González. Dr. Manzaneda appears as second author. It is still not independent of the group, but lead authorship belongs to another surgeon.