Safety and Efficacy of Deoxycholic Acid Injection for Hypogastric Fat Reduction: A Pilot Study.

Background: Although deoxycholic acid (DCA) has been proposed for use in other areas, it is used primarily for treating moderate-to-severe fat in the submental area.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of DCA for fat reduction in the hypogastric region.

Materials And Methods: A prospective, longitudinal, nonrandomized, open-label, interventional pilot study was performed. Deoxycholic acid was transcutaneously injected in upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left hypogastric zones. Fat thickness was assessed using calipers, ultrasound, and 3-dimensional scanning. The primary end point safety was evaluated by laboratory tests and the incidence of adverse events.

Results: Fourteen patients (54 treatment sessions) were included. The mean total volume administered was 26.6 mL. The main local adverse events were edema (94.4%), bruising (90.7%), and erythema (79.6%), all being self-limited (the mean duration 9.6, 7, and 2 days, respectively). A DCA dose was significantly associated with erythema duration (p = .0421) but not with edema duration (p = .1611) or bruising incidence (p = .1013). Measurement using calipers, ultrasound, and 3-dimensional scanning revealed significant fat thickness reduction. Patient-reported outcome measure scores revealed a significant improvement in patient satisfaction.

Conclusion: Deoxycholic acid may be a safe and effective option for reducing fat thickness in the hypogastric region, although given the cost/benefit ratio probably should be reserved for small deposits.