There are a number of liposuction techniques that are available to patients. Many of them differ in some fundamental ways, and it is important for all patients to familiarize themselves with these techniques, as well as the pros and cons of each technique. In any medical procedure, there are always some risks involved, even if only very small, and so having background knowledge about a range of procedures can only be to your benefit. In this article, we deal specifically with the Tumescent Liposuction Technique.
The Technique
The Tumescent Liposuction Technique differs from other techniques in that it provides for local anesthesia to be used during the procedure, namely liodocaine. The major benefit of this is that other needs for the administration of any other sedatives, or even narcotics, is typically completely eliminated.
Indications
In most cases, liposuction is used in order to reduce the fatty deposits that are quite well localized on a patient. In most cases, patients are genetically susceptible to these fatty deposits, but there are a variety of other reasons why liposuction might be performed. There are other situations that might benefit patients in various ways from having the Tumescent Liposuction Technique performed. Some of these include patients suffering from Madelung disease, as well as axillary hyperhidrosis. While still controversial at this stage, there is also a staged procedure that is recommended in some cases for patients who are morbidly obese.
Advantages
There are a number of benefits to making use of the tumescent liposuction technique, some of which are discussed here. One of the big benefits is that less blood is lost during the procedure. This is beneficial for a number of reasons, but also makes the procedure a lot safer for the individual. In a similar way, there is typically no requirement for any intravenous fluid replacement during the procedure.
During any procedure of this sort or nature, the risk of infection is always a key concern for patients and medical practitioners. Because Bacteriostatic lidocaine is utilized, this can actually decrease any risks of infection. While this does depend on the individual, in most cases the lidocaine can be administered safely up to 45 mg/kg. In certain cases, the dosage can be even higher.
Possible Complications
It is vital that you have an in depth discussion with your medical practitioner about the possible complications that a patient might experience as a result of this procedure. There are a number of possibilities, but some of the most frequent are listed here. Complications in the past have included bacterial infections, such as gas gangrene, and also different forms of sepsis. There have also been some reported cases of hemorrhages, pulmonary embolism, as well as perforation of the abdominal viscera.
Certain contraindications have been listed for the Tumescent Liposuction Technique, and patients should be well aware of these. Importantly, patients need to have realistic expectations about the procedure. Unrealistic expectations are fairly common, and so it is vital to have an in-depth conversation with your medical practitioner, as well as doing your own research into this and other liposuction techniques. If a patient has poor physical health to begin with, this can impact on the success of the treatment. Crash dieting immediately before the procedure is definitely not recommended. Patients should be acutely aware of this.
Evaluation
Patients need to go through a thorough evaluation before going forward with the technique. Importantly, a patient should have very clear expectations about the results of the procedure. Not all patients are the ideal candidate for this type of procedure, and ideally the patient should be somewhere in the region of 10-20 lb overweight. In all cases, liposuction should not be the first call in terms of trying to lose weight. Corrections to a person’s diet, and exercise, should always be attempted first before turning to liposuction.
In certain cases, it has been known that a patient will actually experience a dramatic loss of appetite after having the liposuction procedure. This can last for several months immediately after the treatment. In many ways, this can help a patient to correct and maintain a proper diet, and can provide excellent motivation for keeping the correct weight, and in a certain manner protecting their investment.
Looking at shaping your legs? Have a look at our thigh liposuction page.