Evidence on the safety of liposuction for chronic lipoedema is inadequate but raises concerns of major adverse events such as fluid imbalance, fat embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and toxicity from local anaesthetic agents. Evidence on the efficacy is also inadequate, based mainly on retrospective studies with methodological limitations. Therefore, this procedure should only be used in the context of research. Find out what only in research means on the NICE interventional procedures guidance page.