High-Intensity-Focused Ultrasound: Changing the Face of Body Sculpting

Noninvasive procedures that utilize high-intensity-focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the percutaneous ablation of targeted tissues is increasingly being used for the management of an array of oncological and nononcological conditions and has been investigated for new uses such as noninvasive subcutaneous adipose tissue ablation. Once adipocytes have been ablated with HIFU, macrophages are attracted to the area to engulf and transport the lipids and cellular debris. This removal results in an overall reduction in local adipose tissue volume. The HIFU is an attractive alternative to more invasive procedures for body contouring that may appeal to patients resistant to surgical options. It does not require general anesthesia and can be performed as an outpatient procedure thus substantially cutting treatment cost, recovery time, and decreasing the risk of side effects, complications, and patient discomfort. This procedure allows the surgeon to manipulate the device placed remotely on the body surface to precisely target tissues to be ablated beneath the dermis. A single session of HIFU treatment on abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue has been demonstrated to achieve mean reduction in waist circumference of up to 4.7 cm. The procedure has been found to be safe and well tolerated. The commonly reported adverse events such as prolonged tenderness, ecchymosis, hard lumps, edema, and pain are all nonserious in nature and resolve spontaneously over time. In addition, the majority of patients surveyed have expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of the procedure. Conclusion: HIFU is a powerful means for selective tissue destruction.