Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
Liposuction under local anesthesia using the tumescent (wet) technique is exceptionally safe. Two recent large studies reached similar conclusions. One concluded that there were no serious complications or deaths with liposuction. The other study calculated the risk of any complication to be 1%. However, as with any surgery, there are some risks and serious complications. Death is possible, but extremely unlikely.
The main hazards associated with liposuction surgery involve migration of a blood clot or fat globule to the heart, brain, or lungs. Such an event can cause a heart attack, stroke, or serious lung damage. However, this complication is exceedingly rare. The risk of blood clot formation is reduced by wearing a special girdle-like compression garment after the surgery, and with the resumption of normal mild activity soon after surgery.
Remaining in bed increases the risk of clot formation, but not getting enough rest can also result in increased swelling of the surgical area. Such swelling is a result of excess fluid and blood accumulation, and generally comes from not wearing the compression garments. If necessary, this excess fluid can be drained off with a needle in the doctor's office.
Infection is another complication, but this rarely occurs. If the physician is skilled and works in a sterile environment, infection should not be a concern.
If too much fat is removed, the skin may peel in that area. Smokers are at increased risk for shedding skin because their circulation is impaired. Another and more serious hazard of removing too much fat is that the person may go into shock. Fat tissue has an abundant blood supply and removing too much of it at once can cause shock if the fluid is not replaced.
A rare complication is perforation, or puncture, of an organ. The procedure involves pushing a cannula vigorously through the fat layer. If the doctor pushes too hard or if the tissue gives way too easily under the force, the blunt hollow tube could possibly injure internal organs.
Liposuction can damage superficial nerves. Some persons lose sensation in the area that has been suctioned, but most feeling usually returns with time.
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Fat cells change in size throughout our lives, depending on what we eat and how active we are. One way to remove these fat cells is through liposuction, described in the video. Both traditional and newer liposuction techniques like laser ablation (Smart liposuction) are discussed and described.
The areas to be treated during liposuction are marked before surgery (A) and then injected with a solution to aid in fat removal (B). The surgeon inserts a cannula into the areas (C), then suctions out fat with a back and forth motion (D). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
Other Information
Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty ("fat modeling"), liposculpture or suction lipectomy ("suction-assisted fat removal") is a cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from many different sites on the human body. Areas affected can range from the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, to the neck, backs of the arms and elsewhere.
Liposuction is not a low-effort alternative to exercise and diet. It is a form of body contouring with significant attendant risks and is not a weight loss method. The amount of fat removed varies by doctor, method, and patient, but is typically less than 10 pounds (5 kg).
There are several factors that limit the amount of fat that can be safely removed in one session. Ultimately, the operating physician and the patient make the decision. There are negative aspects to removing too much fat. Unusual "lumpiness" and/or "dents" in the skin can be seen in those patients "over-suctioned". The more fat removed the higher the surgical risk.
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