Lipo-dissolve or Lipodissolve, LipoShape or Lipostabil, also called injection lipolysis, is a cosmetic procedure in which various non-FDA approved drug mixtures, often called PCDC, or phosphatidylcholine deoxycholate, are injected into patients to remove fat. This practice evolved from the initial intravenous use of PC-containing drug formulations to treat blood disorders. In 1966, investigators noted that the intravenous infusion of PC-containing solutions could remove fat emboli. Later, a drug formulation called LIPOSTABIL® containing 5% PC and 4.75% deoxycholate (DC) was approved in Germany and used in the treatment of fat embolism, dyslipidemia, and alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis. The first report of LIPOSTABIL® injection for fat removal demonstrated that infra-orbital (‘under the eyelid’) fat could be removed by LIPOSTABIL® injection. While no placebo-controlled studies have demonstrated the safety or efficacy of this therapy, numerous retrospective studies of LIPOSTABIL® injections have reported the efficacy of this ‘off-label’ practice. While the safety of Lipodissolve injections has yet to be proven in a prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical study, retrospective studies suggest that this practice does not present significant medical risk. The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS) issued a press release in April of 2006 stating that the society had initiated a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to experimentally examine the safety and efficacy of Lipodissolve injections, though the results of this study are not yet published. The mixture is injected directly into the subcutaneous fat through multiple microinjections administered over multiple treatment sessions. The desired end result is the removal of localized fat deposits.

The injection of Lipodissolve for fat removal remains somewhat controversial. In statements to the New York Times and USA Today, the FDA has taken the position that the injection of Lipodissolve mixtures for fat removal is an example of “unapproved drugs for unapproved uses.” Despite that, multiple businesses have initiated commercialization of Lipodissolve by opening clinics that advertise and administer Lipodissolve injection for fat removal. One of these businesses states on its website that "Pharmacies are permitted to compound drugs pursuant to a valid patient/physician/pharmacist relationship - even if the drugs have not been approved by the FDA." The FDA has stated that it is “investigating and evaluating” the situation