ITEM TYPE:

Journal Article

AUTHORS:

Saad Mohamed Saad Ibrahiem, MD, MRCS, EBOPRAS

ABSTRACT:

Background: Surgical excision remains the gold-standard therapy for arm skin laxity. However, many patients refuse surgical treatment for fear of the prominent long scars associated with brachioplasty.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to compare the aesthetic outcome of 2 energy-assisted liposuction arm-contouring techniques, radiofrequency-assisted liposuction (RFAL; Group A) and Renuvion helium subdermal coagulation (Group B), with a control group treated with VASER-assisted liposuction (VAL) alone (Group C).

Methods: This is a randomized controlled study of 176 patients seeking arm contouring, who were treated between February 2017 and December 2020. All of the patients underwent VAL, followed by either RFAL (53 patients, Group A) with the BodyTite RF platform or subdermal coagulation (66 patients, Group B) with the Renuvion platform; 57 patients in the control group (Group C) received VAL alone. Patient data, marking techniques, operative details, complications (and tips and tricks to avoid them), and aesthetic outcomes were recorded and tabulated. Surgical team, third-party, and patient satisfaction surveys were conducted 6 months postoperatively.

Results: The study included 176 patients (153 female and 23 male) with a mean age of 32 years (range, 20-59 years). All patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months. In total, 96 (80.6%) patients reported their satisfaction with the overall technique. An independent plastic surgeon considered the result good to excellent in 97 of 119 cases of the studied group.

Conclusions: The umbrella of nonexcisional arm contouring can be extended to include treatment of difficult cases of arm laxity with energy-producing machines. The procedure can achieve a reduction in fat deposits and significant improvements in skin laxity.

APYX® MEDICAL DISCLOSURES:

FINANCIAL & CONTENT DISCLOSURE
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article. No funding was received for this article. Drs DiBernardo, Bharti, and Kortesis are paid consultants for Apyx Medical, and Dr Duncan is a member of Apyx Medical’s Medical Advisory Board. The opinions contained herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of Apyx Medical, Inc.

MANUFACTURING DISCLOSURE
Apyx Medical manufactures and owns the Renuvion®/J-Plasma® technology discussed in this article.

INDICATIONS FOR USE & INTENDED USE DISCLOSURES

• • The Renuvion APR Handpiece is intended for the delivery of radiofrequency energy and/or helium plasma for cutting, coagulation, and ablation of soft tissue during open surgical procedures.
  • The Renuvion APR Handpiece is indicated for use in subcutaneous dermatological and aesthetic procedures to improve the appearance of lax (loose) skin in the neck and submental region.
  • The Renuvion APR Handpiece is intended to be used with compatible electrosurgical generators owned by Apyx Medical (specifically BVX-200H, BVX-200P, APYX-200H, APYX-200P, APYX-RS3, and APYX-JS3).
  • Apyx Medical wants to present you with current scientific discourse. Specific usage outside of the cleared indications may not be safe or effective.
  • The use of Renuvion with liposuction has not been approved or cleared by the FDA.

RISKS

• • As with all energy devices there are inherent risks associated with its use. Risk associated with the use of the Renuvion APR may include: helium embolism into the surgical site due to inadvertent introduction into the venous or arterial blood supply system, unintended burns (deep or superficial), pneumothorax, temporary or permanent nerve injury, ischemia, fibrosis, infection, pain, discomfort, gas buildup resulting in temporary and transient crepitus or pain, bleeding, hematoma, seroma, subcutaneous induration, pigmentation changes, increased healing time, scarring, asymmetry and/or unacceptable cosmetic result.

As with any procedure, individual results may vary. As with all energy devices there are inherent risks associated with its use, refer to the IFU for further information.