Efficacy and Safety of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Noninvasive Abdominal Subcutaneous Fat Reduction

• Published in: Dermatologic surgery Vol. 46; no. 2; p. 213
• Main Authors: Hong, Ji Yeon, Ko, Eun Jung, Choi, Sun Young, Kwon, Tae-Rin, Kim, Jong Hwan, Kim, Soo Yeon, Kim, Beom Joon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.02.2020
• Subjects: Adult; Body Contouring - adverse effects; Body Contouring - methods; Esthetics; Female; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation - adverse effects; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation - methods; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity, Abdominal - therapy; Pain Measurement; Pain, Procedural - diagnosis; Pain, Procedural - etiology; Patient Satisfaction; Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal - radiation effects; Treatment Outcome; Waist Circumference - radiation effects
• ISSN: 1524-4725
• DOI: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000002016

Demand for noninvasive body contouring has increased. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a thermal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device for abdominal body shaping. Adults with a body mass index ≤30 kg/m and an abdominal subcutaneous fat tissue thickness ≥2.5 cm were enrolled for HIFU treatment at energy levels of 150 J/cm (first session) and 135 J/cm (second session). The primary end point was a change from baseline waist circumference at post-treatment Week 8. Secondary efficacy end points were: changes in body weight, waist/hip ratio, and fat thickness assessed by ultrasound, caliper, and a fat CT scan. The Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale was evaluated by both investigators and subjects. The primary assessment achieved statistical significance, showing a reduction of 3.43 cm in mean waist circumference. The treatment effect was cumulative, with a steady decrease in waist circumference and fat thickness. The mean pain scores immediately after treatment were 4.45 ± 2.74 on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most painful, which decreased to 1.10 ± 1.33 after 1 week. High-intensity focused ultrasound is an effective and safe treatment modality for reducing waist circumference in nonobese individuals with focal fat accumulation.