12.10.07 16:32

MASTER Conference: Studies Show First Results

The participants of the Conference were very interested to hear the lectures of Dr. Torsten Blunk, Regensburg and Dr. Falk Bechara, Bochum. First valid scientific results have been presented.

➢ Dr. Torsten Blunk, Regensburg
In the studies to date, both the individual substances of the compound and the mixture contained in Lipostabil have been investigated in terms of their cell-damaging and lipolytic effects. The results can be generalised as follows:
1. For all the investigated substances, a certain level of dosage was determined where impairment of the integrity of the cell membrane begins and is detectable; this applies in the case of both phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholic acid.
2. The individual substances show different dose/effect relationships than the Lipostabil (PC-DC) mixture. The results obtained so far suggest that deoxycholic acid by itself may have a more aggressive effect than in combination with phosphatidylcholine.
3. It is only possible to a limited extent to deduce the optimum dosages in vivo from those established as necessary in vitro. Nevertheless, on the basis of the initial assessments, it looks as if we are on the right track with the dosages used in vivo; it will be necessary to wait for further validation in this regard.

➢ Dr. Falk Bechara, Bochum
Dr. Bechara showed the results of two studies that have already been published and one that is still in the process of publication, though all three dealing with lipoma treatment and therefore not directly applicable to the regions involved in aesthetic treatments.
1. The time until the inflammation induced by the treatment has disappeared completely is about 8 weeks. This shows that our specification of 8-week treatment intervals is correct from the safety point of view.
2. The lipomas decreased significantly; the patients were largely satisfied with the results.
3. The Bochum team is currently investigating whether a question of fat necrosis or apoptosis is involved. The first assessments point to fat necrosis, but it is not yet possible to make any definitive statement on this. In combination with other unpublished studies, however, one thing does become clear and is of importance for us: This treatment should only be conducted by a trained and certified physician, and the substances should always be injected into the fatty tissue only, in order to avoid any complications.

➢ New possibilities
To what extent the results for normal fatty tissue differ from those for lipoma will be the subject of a further study to be conducted by Dr. Shahin Nooreyezdan, under the overall direction of Dr. Bechara, at the Apollo Hospital in New Delhi.