Lipedema: Therapy Evaluation and Insurance

In this mini-review pathology, diagnosis, signs and symptoms, as well as treatment of lipedema are discussed. As the cause of lipedema is unknown for nearly 80 years, therapy is supportive and aimed at prevention of progression of the disease. Symptoms, signs and phenotypes of these patients are well defined. Guidelines for treatment are clear. When supportive therapy is inadequate surgical tumescent liposuction is the treatment of first choice. Surprisingly, the unproven compression and manual lymphatic drainage therapies of lipedma patients are covered by insurance, while the rational tumescent liposuction is not covered. Quality of life, mobility, lipedema pain, altered gait all improved by tumescent liposuction and disease progression is slowed. Insurance coverage of this procedure will help lipedema patients greatly. Cost-benefit analyses should be made. Research in pharmacotherapy of lipedema that makes sense should be stimulated