This book is written as a guide for patients suffering from lipedema. Known as a common, painful fat distribution disorder characterised by a disproportional fat accumulation, lipedema represents an unmet medical need where scientific evidence on both pathophysiology and its treatment is still lacking. As the number of affected patients is increasing, besides striving to map the conundrum of clinical signs and relate these to their underlying mechanisms, developing standardised approaches addressing both fat mass reduction and body contouring are key issues able to warrant therapeutic success. In this book, our intention was to look at this complex disease from all its actual perspectives and provide a concise summary of the actual state of knowledge for all those affected. 

After looking into the most actual data on the aetiology, pathophysiology and course of the disease, the book then focuses on our complex treatment protocols wherecurrent conservative and surgical treatment options are systematically analyzed, considering their long-term chances of success as well as associated risks and side effects. We propose a three step treatment approach. 1^st step initiates with weight control and addresses obesity, if present. 2^nd step is an individual liposuction therapy plan to treat all lipedema areas, and more. 3^rd step includes body contouring surgery, only in patients with massive skin laxity after liposuction and / or massive weight loss.

Dr. Zaher Jandali, MD
Dr. Jandali studied human medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) in Hamburg until 2006. He then completed his training as a specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery the Department of Plastic, Aesthetic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery at the Asklepios Clinic in Hamburg-Wandsbek (2012). Since day one, Dr. Jandali has been intensively involved in the topic of 'lipedema'. Early on, he began giving lectures to those affected and interested, as well as to self-help groups. These were followed by lecturing at national and international congresses. Since 2016, Dr. Jandali has been chief  of the Department for Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery at the Evangelical Hospital in Oldenburg (Lower Saxony).

Dr. Jandali developed further many existent surgical approaches to lipedema, combining different techniques to achieve better, safer and longer lasting results. Since 2007, his main focus remains the treatment of lipedema and lymphedema. He performs liposuction using a unique technique optimized for lipedema. Dr. Jandali also focuses on reconstructive surgery after weight loss, as well as aesthetic and reconstructive surgery.

Dr. Jandali is a member of the following professional societies:
DGPRÄC, German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons.
DGH, German Society for Hand Surgery
WSRM, World Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery
www.lipold.de

Dr. Lucian Jiga, MD
Dr. Jiga completed his medical education at the Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara in Romania, in 1999. In 2002, he moved to the Ruprecht Karls University in Heidelberg, Germany, successfully finishing his doctoral studies in 2005.  In 2005, Dr. Jiga moved back to Timisoara as Associate Professor and Head of the University Department of Reconstructive Microsurgery. Dr. Jiga returned to Germany in 2013 at the Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery at the Evangelic Hospital in Oldenburg, first as senior consultant and since 2016 as Chief of Department sharing this position with Dr. Jandali.

Dr. Jiga looks back on a large number of international lectures and scientific publications. In addition to the treatment of lipedema, his clinical work focuses on reconstructive surgery after breast cancer, microsurgical lymphatic reconstruction as well as  microsurgical approaches to address lower extremity soft tissue loss, and complex wrist surgery.

Dr. Jiga is a member of the following professional societies:

DGPRÄC, German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons.

DGH, German Society for Hand Surgery
WSRM, World Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery

Prof. Dr. Corrado Campisi, MD, Ph.D., MRM, is a plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon based in Genoa, Italy (GVM Care & Research: ICLAS - Rapallo, Genoa; Salus Hospital - Reggio Emilia; Maria Pia Hospital - Turin), and an Adjunct Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Catania, Italy. He completed his Ph.D. in Experimental Surgery and Microsurgery at the University of Pavia, Italy, and his Master's Degree in Reconstructive Microsurgery at the UAB in Barcelona, Spain (Reconstructive Microsurgery European School - RMES). He is an Executive Committee Member of the International Society of Lymphology (ISL) and will host the 23^rd ISL World Congress in Turin in 2023. He has published numerous scientific papers and contributed to several books on the a surgical treatment of lymphedema. The Genoa Lymphedema Clinic is internationally known and receives patients from all over the world.