Non-invasive ultrasonic removal

Non-invasive ultrasonic fat removal (NUFR) is a method of fat removal and body shaping. NUFR removes fat from areas of the body such as the stomach, flanks, thighs, neck, back, male chest and buttocks. The process has been developed and utilized in several countries all over the world as an alternative to liposuction.

The new technology focuses the ultrasound frequencies to only target fat cells in the body and essentially melts away the fat. The broken down fat cells are moved through the body through the body's metabolic system. Because the ultrasound can target fat cells on the surface of the skin, no surgery is needed to remove unwanted fat.

History

The technology reviews that led to the development of NUFR was a series of improvements on the liposuction procedure. In the traditional liposuction procedure, a tube-like device, or cannula, is inserted into a small incision on the skin. The cannula is connected to a vacuum and the fat is sucked out of the body.

From traditional liposuction came the development of ultrasound-assisted liposuction^[1]. In this method, an incision is made in the skin and the ultrasound emulsifies, or liquefies, the fat cells, making it easier to suction out the fat. In many cases, water is inserted into the body along with the ultrasound device to assist with liquefying that fat. Since the ultrasound is used, only the fat cells are emulsified, leaving the surrounding tissue and blood vessels unharmed. An example of this method is Vaser. The FDA in the United States approved Vaser in 2002^[2]. NUFR took ultrasound-assisted liposuction to the next level.

Popularity

Liposuction

The traditional liposuction method has been a widely popular procedure all over the world for men and women alike. It was first introduced in the United States in 1982, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery^[3]. Since then, in the United States, tens of millions of people have had liposuction. In 2004 alone, 9,210,627 people had the procedure^[4] and in 2003, Americans spent $711 million dollars on liposuction ^[5].

NUFR

Even though NUFR is not approved for use in the United States yet, it is extremely popular in 47 other countries ^[6], including Canada, Mexico, Britain, and many others. One system used in Canada, Mexico and Britain is called UltraShape ^[7]. UltraShape is “non-invasive fat reduction and body contouring using ‘non-thermal’ selective focused ultrasound technology”^[7]. A London plastic surgeon, Chris Inglefield, performed a clinical study using UltraShape on 118 patients in 2005. Results showed that 93% of the patients claimed to have “excellent” results^[6]. Also, Mexico has conducted a clinical study using the same system; however, the product in the study was called SonoSculpt. The study reviews include 30 people and all of the results were effective in removing fat. Developments are currently being made to improve the way the body metabolizes the emulsified fat cells. Home products such as the Evita Slimsonic, have emerged as an alternative fat reduction for home use.^[5].

Technology

For several years, the ultrasound has been safely and effectively utilized in the medical world. For NUFR, the ultrasound waves have been specifically focused to only target fat cells, or adipocytes, in the subcutaneous layer beneath the skin ^[7]. “The pulsed acoustic waves of ultrasonic energy converge in a confined focal volume causing a non-thermal, mechanical destruction of fat cells” ^[7]. The adipocytes are emulsified by the ultrasound frequencies, leaving everything else in the body, nerves, blood vessels and connective tissues, intact.The destroyed fat cells are then, which are mostly triglycerides, are dispersed into the fluid between the cells and then moved through the vascular and lymphatic systems to the liver ^[7] where they are metabolized and excreted by the body ^[5].

Procedure

Before the procedure can take place, there is a consultation with the physician to decide if NUFR is the right method for the patient based on the patients desired results. Then, in a walk-in, walk-out session, the physician will examine and mark the area that will be targeted. The physician will then use a hand-held transducer to emit the ultrasound energy to the targeted areas of fat by simply moving the transducer over the skin ^[7]. Home NUFR treatment is similar to the procedure at the clinic where an ultrasound transducer is moved over the skin, however the patient has full control over when the treatment is done and saves money on cost of clinic time. Once all the areas of concern have been targeted, the patient can go on with their day as usual. Repeat treatment over several months is often necessary to get the desired results.

Recovery

There is no recovery time for NUFR. The system is not a surgery, so there is no anesthesia, no pain and therefore, nothing to recover from. “[Patients] literally receive the treatment and then immediately resume their daily routine." ^[6].

Benefits

NUFR

The benefits of NUFR are that 2 to 3 inches of fat can be removed from the abdomen, flanks, thighs, buttocks, and other various areas^[8]. Also, the body can be shaped to a more desired appearance.

Concerns

The reason the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved a method of NUFR is because there are some concerns. The body naturally removes various cells that naturally die in the body, however, it is not as natural for the body to remove 2–3 ounces of dead fat cells. If the FDA approved a system like UltraShape or SonoSculpt, there would most likely be a limit on how much fat can be targeted during one session ^[5].

Another concern that the patients may have is that NUFR cannot remove as much fat as liposuction. NUFR can remove around 2–3 ounces of fat in one session, which is about 2–3 inches from any given area, whereas liposuction can remove kilograms of fat in one session. This means NUFR would be most beneficial to people looking to sculpt only a couple inches from their body ^[5].

Future of NUFR in the US

With so many other countries already implementing NUFR, it is only a matter of time before it will be approved by the FDA and available to the public in the United States^{[citation needed]}. In an effort to raise awareness in the US, the “results of an independent multi-treatment clinical study of the UltraShape Contour I, the first clinically proven non-invasive focused ultrasound solution for fat reduction and body contouring, will be presented at the American Society for Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) annual meeting on October 30, 2007 in Baltimore, Md. The presentation is entitled ‘Non-invasive Ultrasonic Selective Fat Cell Lysis and Body Contouring’ and will take place during the scientific session ‘Body Contouring: Are We There Yet?’" ^[6].

Notes

1. ^ "BBC NEWS | Health | Losing fat the ultrasonic way." BBC NEWS | News Front Page. 19 Aug. 2004. 02 Mar. 2009 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2680235.stm>
2. ^ The VASER Lipo System. 2008. VASER Lipo. 7 April 2009. <http://www.vaser.com/index.html>
3. ^ Liposuction. 2009. American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. 7 April 2009
4. ^ Friedman, Jane. "Cosmetic Surgery." CQ Researcher 15.14 (2005): 317-344. CQ Researcher Online. CQ Press. The University of Arizona Library, Tucson, AZ. 6 Mar. 2009 http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2005041500
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} Tao, Amy. "Blasting Fat with Ultrasound." Business Week 19 Aug. 2004. 28 Feb. 2009 <http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/aug2004/nf20040819_6294.htm>
6. ^ ^{a b c d} Independent Clinical Study Results for the UltraShape(TM) Non-Invasive Fat Reduction and Body Contouring System to be Presented at the American Society for Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting. 30 October 2007. American Health & Beauty. 7 April 2009. <http://www.americanhealthandbeauty.com/articles/?Article=265>
7. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Clarion Medical - Ultrashape Contour I." Coherent AMT is now Clarion Medical. 2008. 06 Mar. 2009 http://www.clarionmedical.com/aestheticmedicaltech/ultrashape_contour_i.html
8. ^ "UltraShape - Fat Melting Ultrasound." Knifestyles - The definitive guide to Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery. 01 Mar. 2009 <http://www.knifestyles.net/cutting-edge/ultrashape-fat-melting-ultrasound/>