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Liposuction is generally performed in an outpatient surgical facility
under a general anesthetic although an occasional small area may
be suctioned under a local anesthetic with accompanying intravenous
sedation. Small incisions are made in convenient skin folds wherever
available. The tumescent technique, in which tissues to be suctioned
are first infiltrated with large quantities of saline and a local
anesthetic solution. This limits operative blood loss and post-operative
pain. A narrow metal tube which is connected by a plastic hose to
an aspirator machine is passed back and forth through the area of
excess fat, selectively removing the excess fat. It must be understood
that only the layer of fat between the skin and the underlying muscle
(the amount you can pinch before surgery) can be suctioned.
The tunnels which are created throughout the area of previous fatty
excess fill with blood and body fluids thus creating the bruising
and swelling which are seen after the operation. The bruising usually
subsides within one to two weeks with the final swelling dissipating
anywhere from two weeks to three months depending on the patient,
the technique, and the area treated.
The patient's age, general health and body size determine the amount
of fat which can be removed at any one operative sitting. With the
latest advances in technique, it is easier and safer to remove larger
volumes of fat.
It is estimated that 5% of patients treated will require touch-up
procedures which consist of removing residual accumulations of fat.
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