Suction Curettage for the Treatment of Axillary Osmidrosis

Background and Purpose: Several surgical methods for the treatment of axillary osmidrosis have been developed and published in the past. Surgical excision of the subcutaneous tissue with or without skin excision is most effective. However, it also has the highest complication rate and longest immobilization period, and leaves behind a long unsightly scar. Superficial liposuction, on the other hand, has the advantages of a smaller scar and a shorter recovery period but also a higher recurrency rate. We report our modified method of superficial liposuction in combination with subdermal curettage to improve the failure rates of traditional superficial liposuction, while retaining all its advantages of smaller scars, shorter recovery periods and lower complication rates. Methods: Curettage-assisted liposuction was carried out through a 5 mm incision wound. The procedure normally took about 30 to 40 minutes under local anesthesia with light sedation. Patients were advised to restrict vigorous activity for three days following the operation and to resume ordinary work after five days. From June 2002 to July 2004, 62 patients were treated using this technique. From this group, 56 patients (41 women and 15 men) were available for follow-up from five months to 26 months (average: 9.5 months). Results: The surgical outcomes were classified into three grades according to subjective and objective assessments. Of the 112 axillae operated on, in 56 patients, 103 (91.96%) had good results, seven (6.25%) had fair results and two (1.78%) had poor outcomes. Complications included a hematoma occurring in one axilla and transient fibrotic bands appearing in three axillae. The complication rate was 3.56%. There was no skin necrosis. Conclusion: Our modified method of superficial liposuction has a high satisfaction rate comparable to that of surgical excision, yet also has a low complication rate and all the advantages of traditional liposuction.