Possibilities, limits and particularities of plastic surgery treatment in HIV-associated lipodystrophy

Background

Given the particularities of the Romanian HIV cohort, an important number of patients have received treatment with first-generation antiretroviral drugs and have developed an associated lipodystrophy. Nowadays HIV-infected patients can benefit from less invasive surgical treatments for lipodystrophy, to ameliorate their psychosomatic status.

Case report

We present 2 cases of patients with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. These patients underwent specific modern “closed” plastic surgery corrections: liposuction and lipo-redistribution. The patients were evaluated with a follow-up of 10 years (the first case) and respectively 6 months (the second case). In each case the possibilities and limits of these treatments were evaluated.

Conclusion

Treatment of HIV infection should be effective but it should also lead to an improvement in the quality of life. A multidisciplinary approach – infectious diseases physicians, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, histopathologists, psychologists etc. – can contribute to a psychosomatic improvement.