Cutis marmorata resemblance after liposuction

Abstract

Liposuction is a safe method for the treatment of lipodystrophy. It gives good results in relation to body contours, especially when the superficial and deep layers of the superficial fascia are aspirated. The authors present clinical cases of female patients who underwent liposuction of the abdomen, flanks, and back in which superficial and deep liposuction was used. In the immediate postoperative period, these patients presented a skin pattern of marbled appearance, involving rosy-purplish stains intermingled with other whitish stains on the skin in the areas subjected to surgery and resembling the cutis marmorata described in the literature. Even 1 year after the operation, the stains had not receded. The literature mentions cases of cutaneous necrosis provoked by a temperature increase induced by liposuction cannulas. This trauma said to be the determining factor for local lesions of the subdermal plexus. However, no cases involving lesions of this plexus attributable to mechanical trauma from cannulas are cited. According to several authors, it is important during superficial liposuction to maintain a strip about 1 cm thick under the deep dermis for the preservation of the arterial plexus of the skin. This would avoid the formation of a skin pattern resembling cutis marmorata.