Tumescent Liposuction
One of the biggest concerns that potential liposuction patients have relates to the exact surgical technique that is used during the procedure. Considering the numerous techniques that are used in liposuction and the different parts of the body that liposuction serves, prospective patients are often bewildered by the information that they find about liposuction. However, the most commonly used surgical technique for liposuction is the tumescent technique.
What is Tumescent Liposuction?
Tumescent liposuction refers to a liposuction surgical method that was developed in the 1980s, which represented a breakthrough in safety and efficiency for liposuction. Currently, the most popular cosmetic surgical technique, tumescent liposuction is a lightly invasive surgery that has a minimal recovery period and the advantage of being less expensive than other liposuction techniques. Predominantly when individuals are interested in undergoing liposuction surgery, they should consult with a plastic surgeon about the merits of tumescent liposuction.
When tumescent liposuction was developed, it represented a major innovation within liposuction surgical techniques. Patients of tumescent liposuction are amazed by how little recovery time they need from this surgery and usually only report that they have minimal pain and swelling.
How is Tumescent Lipo Different?
A procedure that minimizes blood loss, swelling, and pain, tumescent liposuction became the standard for its ability to meet the target goals of liposuction surgery while setting new standards in patient safety and overall surgical efficiency.
Tumescent liposuction utilizes a special liquid formula that is responsible for the numerous benefits of this treatment. This liquid formula is comprised of a combination of aesthetic, adrenaline, and saline. Anesthetic is used to numb the area and most tumescent liposuction liquid formulas use lidocaine as its anesthetic. Adrenaline, otherwise known as epinephrine, is used within the liquid formula to constrict blood vessels, which results in minimizing patient blood loss during the surgery. The tumescent liposuction procedure utilizes saline as its base due to its sterile and inert status within the body.
The Tumescent Liposuction Involves the Following Steps:
- Injection of the liquid formula into the part of the body that the liposuction surgery is being performed.
- Once the liquid formula has been injected, the compartment of fat located in the part of the body that is being operated on will become tumesced or swollen. This bloating will disappear following suction and any excess fluid will drain from the incisions.
- The plastic surgeon then makes an incision into the part of the body that is being targeted and a thin probe is inserted into this opening.
- To ease the suction process, the plastic surgeon moves this probe around to break up the fat found in the patient's body.
- Using a sterile container, the plastic surgeon then extracts and collects the excess fat.
- After an appropriate amount of excess fat has been removed from the patient's body, the plastic surgeon closes the incision.
- The patient then must wear a compression-garment, which assists their skin's contraction and assists body contouring.
The only liposuction surgical method that can be performed entirely with local anesthesia and the procedure is also designed to being performed at an outpatient center. A surgical process that has very few complications, tumescent liposuction may result in pulmonary edema in very rare cases.
Pulmonary edema refers to a condition in which the fluid used in tumescent liposuction accumulates in the patient's lungs and results in lidocaine toxicity. However, these instances are rare and you can obtain more information regarding this condition when consulting with board certified, highly qualified plastic surgeons that specialize in performing tumescent liposuction.
If you have any questions about tumescent liposuction or if you would like to schedule a free consultation with a liposuction doctor in your area, fill in the form on the right-hand side of this page and one of our experts will contact you shortly. You may also call the toll free number at the top of this page.
