Liposuction continues to be one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in developed cultures worldwide. Since a 1999 report describing five liposuction-related deaths in New York City, three of which were incompletely explained, abundant analysis and literature has emerged. This paper aims to present the history of liposuction, review recent clinical safety/guidelines and forensic fatality literature, describe current and emerging trends and techniques, and offer an approach to the forensic investigation of these deaths.
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