Posted on 11/19/2001 6:41:37 AM PST by Ratatoskr
An easier alternative to liposuction could allow patients to go for treatments during the lunch hour, claim researchers.
The handheld ultrasound device pummels unsightly fat cells - without the need for the resulting liquid to be sucked out of the body using a thin tube inserted through the skin.
The conventional technique often needs to be performed under general anaesthetic, and requires a period of recuperation for patients.
Scientists at the Sheba Medical Centre in Tel Aviv, Israel, who have developed the device, say that their technique will cause far less "collateral damage" to blood vessels and other tissues such as skin and muscle.
It will, they say, also allow more accurate targeting of even relatively small areas of excess fat. However, their machine has so far only been tested on pigs.
It is well-known that ultrasound waves are able to break down fat cells, releasing the fat contained within them.
Some forms of liposuction already employ ultrasound probes to liquefy fat and make it easier to suck out.
However, the Israeli researchers found that, even when used externally, the broken down fatty liquid could simply be re-absorbed back into the bloodstream over the following few weeks.
They claim that there is no need for patients even to go on a diet for the technique to be effective.
Dr Ami Glickman told a newspaper: "It is going to be a totally non-invasive procedure - no operating room will be needed.
"You walk in, you get it, and you walk out."
While the inventors say that less fat could be removed in one session, the patient could return for further sessions much more quickly.
'Inherent safety'
Dr Yoram Eshel, another research on the project, told the newspaper: "The inherent safety of our method lies in the fact that we do half the traditional job compared to liposuction and let nature do the rest.
"Physiological clearance of the fat tissue occurs over a period of about three weeks following the procedure, similar to the way that the body clears out damaged tissue found in a bruise."
Ack. So much for lunch.
"However, their machine has so far only been tested on pigs"The writer misspelled Palestinians.
I was wondering why we haven't been seeing much of Jerry Nadler lately.
Either way, Where can I sign up to be one of the guinea pigs??
I know. It doesn't sound good, does it? There was more detail in the paper version of the article, though, which said that sessions are limited to a pound of fat at a time. Since fat is fluffy, a pint of the stuff carefully targetted would be cosmetically significant without (maybe) being medically dangerous.
By the time the FDA approves it, I'll probably be losing weight the old fashioned way: by decomposing.
You may recall the development of creams which were touted as a way to eliminate cellulite. While researchers have said they don't work, there is enough anecdotal evidence among certain groups to indicate that they do. Specifically, body builders have used the creams to increase definition in areas where they have pockets of fat. They have found, however, that they need to either reduce calories or increase activity (and hence metabolism) by an amount equal to what re-enters the blood stream.
Failure to take the extra steps results in the fat being redeposited, usually right back where it came from.
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