Open AccessLipotransfer provides effective soft tissue replacement for acquired partial lipodystrophy
Author(s) -
Faith Hyun Kyung Jeon,
Michelle Griffin,
Carole Frosdick,
Peter E. M. Butler
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr-2019-232601
Subject(s) - medicine , lipodystrophy , soft tissue , surgery , rare disease , abdomen , lipoatrophy , thorax (insect anatomy) , liposuction , disease , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , anatomy , pathology , antiretroviral therapy , family medicine , viral load
We present a 48-year-old female patient who presented with features consistent with acquired partial lipodystrophy (APL) also known as 'Barraquer-Simons syndrome'. It is a rare disease characterised by a gradual and progressive onset of lipoatrophy limited to the face, neck, upper limbs, thorax and abdomen and sparing the lower extremities. The resultant physical appearance can have significant psychosocial sequelae, further compounded by misdiagnosis and delay in recognition and management. Treatment is aimed at surgical correction of soft tissue destruction. Autologous fat transfer is an established plastic and reconstructive procedure that is safe and minimally invasive and can be used to reconstruct a variety of soft tissue defects and has shown to be an effective treatment modality in patients with APL.