Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40588696›Full record

ArticleObesity surgery2025

Lipedema after Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery: A Scoping Review.

Alba Zevallos, Jeremias Schmidt, Omar Thaher, Dirk Bausch, Sjaak Pouwels

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Obesity surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Alba ZevallosUniversidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Peru.
Jeremias SchmidtDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Helios Klinik Berlin-Buch, Berlin, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Helios Klinik Berlin-Buch, Berlin, Germany.
Omar ThaherDepartment of Surgery, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, NRW, Department of Surgery, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, NRW, Germany.
Dirk BauschDepartment of Surgery, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, NRW, Department of Surgery, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, NRW, Germany.
Sjaak PouwelsDepartment of Surgery, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, NRW, Department of Surgery, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, NRW, Germany. sjaakpwls@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLipedema often remains undiagnosed in patients with obesity, leading to mismanagement of treatment. Because of this, despite remarkable weight loss after bariatric surgery and decreases in hip and abdomen circumference, some patients show only small decreases in the circumference of the extremities and report persistent limb pain. We present the first scoping review to systematically explore the reported patient characteristics, clinical outcomes, and diagnostic challenges of lipedema in patients undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery, to identify gaps in current practice and promote earlier diagnosis and tailored treatment.

methodsA search in PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane was conducted, from inception to December 19th, 2023. We consider as inclusion criteria original articles, case reports, and case series of lipedema after metabolic bariatric surgery.

resultsAmong the included studies, a total of 49 patients were reported, and all were female. The mean age of cases was 42.43 (range 24-63) years old, and the mean BMI was 49.92 kg/m

conclusionRecognizing the presence of lipedema in females experiencing extremity pain and disproportionate fat distribution is crucial. Bariatric surgery alone does not appear to significantly improve lipedema-related symptoms, based on currently available evidence, and even significant excess weight loss of more than 70% often fails to alleviate its associated pain.

Indexed as

Bariatric SurgeryLipedemaObesity, MorbidPostoperative ComplicationsAdultFemaleHumansMiddle AgedWeight LossBariatric surgeryLipedemaLiposuctionMetabolic surgeryPlastic surgeryWeight loss

Identifiers

PMID40588696

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.