Type of Surgery
Neck Liposuction – The Tumescent Technique
Last updated: 06/04/2009
Neck Liposuction – The Tumescent Technique
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Sometimes exercise or eating a healthy diet will not prevent some people from having excess fat in the face, specifically in the neck. This area is particularly troubling for many people and can tell the world that you are or were once overweight, even if you have worked hard to change the rest of your body. Fortunately, neck liposuction provides a way to remove that extra fat from below the jaw line and in the neck—the so-called “double chin.”
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The neck is a rather delicate area and, as such, neck liposuction requires a careful hand and a special technique. Most surgeons have moved to the tumescent technique for neck liposuction because it confers several advantages over traditional neck liposuction methods.
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The tumescent technique for neck liposuction involves infusing the area under the jaw line with lidocaine, epinephrine and saline solution such that it expands far beyond its normal size. The lidocaine deadens the nerves endings in the region making the entire neck numb. The epinephrine squeezes blood vessels in the neck so that when they are disturbed by the liposuction probe, the leak very little blood. The saline lifts the skin away from the many delicate or important structures in the neck like the trachea, esophagus, thyroid and parathyroid glands, and the larynx.
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There are several advantages of using the tumescent technique for neck liposuction. Perhaps most importantly, this approach is performed under local anesthesia, not general. This means a faster procedure, quicker post-surgical recovery, and lower cost for the patient overall. Also, many patients are not good candidates for general anesthesia because of coexisting health problems. The local anesthesia approach to neck liposuction opens the door to people that would otherwise be turned down.
Because of epinephrine that is infused with the tumescent technique, there is less blood loss during surgery and patients do not need to have intravenous fluids or blood. The blood vessel squeezing of epinephrine means that less lidocaine and liquefied fat are absorbed into the blood stream—these things can lead to problems if they are present in high concentrations in the blood. The lidocaine that is infused is bacteriostatic, meaning that it helps prevent infection from bacteria. The infused lidocaine may deaden the nerves in the area for up to 24 hours after the procedure. The soreness that immediately follows liposuction can be avoided for up to a day. During that day the body will adjust and begin to heal, and the overall discomfort will be less. Further, oral pain medications will have a chance to fully take effect leading to much more comfortable recovery.
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Beyond these advantages for the patient, the tumescent technique for neck liposuction magnifies the pockets of fat that are to be removed and provides the surgeon with an excellent view of the surgical field. Since the neck is expanded to several times its normal size, the cosmetic surgeon can guide the liposuction cannula to precisely where it is needed. This enhanced visualization of the neck helps to ensure that all of the fat can be removed from the neck in one liposuction procedure.
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While most physicians perform the tumescent technique for neck liposuction, you should speak to your surgeon to determine whether neck liposuction using the tumescent approach is right for you.
Last Updated: 06/04/2009
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