Liposuction Surgery
Liposuction has been one of the most popular aesthetic procedures performed for years. As people become more and more body conscious (especially after dieting and working out - literally putting hard work into getting into good shape) the ability to fix problem areas that don't respond to exercise or to sculpt certain parts of their body becomes more and more popular. Liposuction, also known as liposculpture, is a procedure that can help sculpt the body by removing unwanted fat from specific areas, including the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, upper arms, chin, cheeks and neck. During the past decade, liposuction, which is also known as "lipoplasty" or "suction lipectomy," has benefited from several new refinements. Today, a number of new techniques, including Power-assisted lipoplasty (PAL), the tumescent technique, and the super-wet technique, are helping many plastic surgeons to provide selected patients with more precise results and quicker recovery times. Although no type of liposuction is a substitute for dieting and exercise, liposuction can remove stubborn areas of fat that don't respond to traditional weight-loss methods.
Tumescent Liposuction
Tumescent liposuction is now recognized world wide as the technique permitting the greatest safety, the most rapid recovery, the least pain and the best aesthetic results. Tumescent liposuction is also the only technique that, in the hands of an expert surgeon, permits liposuction totally by local anesthesia, avoiding the dangers of general anesthesia, IV sedation and narcotic analgesics. There are surgeons who prefer to simultaneously use general anesthesia and tumescent liposuction. Some surgeons rely on general anesthesia because they do not have the skill to achieve complete anesthesia with tumescent liposuction. Others recommend general anesthesia just because they prefer patients to be unconscious. Still others use general anesthesia because it permits liposuction to be completed more rapidly.
However, the use of general anesthesia ought not to be based on what is most convenient for the surgeon, but rather what is best for the patient. Ultimately, the patient should choose the type of anesthesia based on all the information at his or her disposal.
Good candidates for liposuction
To be a good candidate for liposuction, you must have realistic expectations about what the procedure can do for you. It's important to understand that liposuction can enhance your appearance and self confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon.
The best candidates for liposuction are normal-weight people with firm, elastic skin who have pockets of excess fat in certain areas. You should be physically healthy, psychologically stable and realistic in your expectations. Your age is not a major consideration; however, older patients may have diminished skin elasticity and may not achieve the same results as a younger patient with tighter skin. Liposuction carries greater risk for individuals with medical problems such as diabetes, significant heart or lung disease, poor blood circulation, or those who have recently had surgery near the area to be contoured.
Liposuction Totally By Local Anesthesia
Although liposuction is a relatively new form of cosmetic surgery, there have been several recent improvements in the technique. One of the most significant improvements has been the introduction of tumescent liposuction. It permits liposuction totally by local anesthesia instead of general anesthesia. This technique is now considered the safest form of liposuction for removing very large amounts of fat because there is virtually no blood loss. Not only has tumescent liposuction proven to be safer than the standard technique using general anesthesia but it also has proven to be less painful, has minimized post operative recovery time, and has produced optimal cosmetic results.
The word tumescent means swollen and firm. Tumescent liposuction uses large volumes of a dilute solution of lidocaine, a local anesthetic, in combination with the vasoconstrictive drug epinephrine, which temporarily shrinks capillaries.
Local anesthesia used in tumescent liposuction for liposuction is so effective that patients no longer need intravenous sedatives, narcotic analgesics, or general anesthesia. Over the years, numerous patients who previously had liposuction with general anesthesia have had second treatments with tumescent liposuction. Virtually every one of these patients has found tumescent liposuction to be less painful, to provide better results and to result in more rapid healing and recovery.
Virtually No Blood Loss
As a result of the widespread capillary constriction caused by the epinephrine in the anesthetic solution, there is minimal bleeding during and after surgery. This is a major improvement in the liposuction technique compared to older methods that simply use general anesthesia.
In the past Liposuction included a cannula (the instrument used to remove the excess fat) and a surgeon's manual effort to separate the fat from the other tissues. Technological advancements continue to refine both the instruments available and the manual effort of the surgeon. By making the tools do more of the work the surgeon is freer to sculpt and create fine, smoother, better silhouettes.
What is Power-Assisted Liposuction
Power-Assisted Liposuction is a real breakthrough for both physicians and patients. Power-Assisted Liposuction involves a mechanized cannula that rapidly vibrates at a rate of 3,000 to 5,000 times per minute, helping to separate the fat from the other tissues. When used in conjunction with the Tumescent Technique (an saline-solution injection that includes local anesthesia and adrenaline), Power-Assisted Liposuction allows the surgeon to remove the unwanted fat much faster than with a manual cannula. This means that less time is needed under anesthesia, there is less bleeding, less trauma to the treated area, more precision in the fat removal, and a shorter recovery time for the patient. In other words, Power-Assisted Liposuction lets you heal faster so that you can see better results quicker.
Why Power Liposuction
In studies, patients that received Power-Assisted Liposuction had less bruising and healed much faster than patients who received traditional liposuction. Doctors were able to remove more fat because the Power-Assisted Liposuction let them work more precisely and quickly.
A Time to Heal
After the procedure healing will depend on how much liposuction was performed. Your physician will discuss your needs with you more in depth during your consultation as well as after the surgery. Keep in mind that you will need several days off from work and you may need to wait two to four weeks before you can get back to more strenuous activities. Your body will heal slowly and subtly and it may surprise you that it may not heal symmetrically. So, one thigh may heal faster than the other thigh or one side of the abdomen may heal faster than the other side. This is normal and your body will "even" out over the next few months.
PAL – More Than Good Vibrations
Power-assisted liposuction not only allows Dr. Tabriz to complete your procedure faster and more gently, it also helps provide precise results and speeds recovery. The PAL device causes small, rapid vibrations in the cannula, the tube used to break up and suction out excess fat tissue. When Dr. Tabriz inserts the cannula underneath the skin, its vibrations loosen fat cells while preserving surrounding nerves, blood vessels, and other tissue. The benefit to you: decreased risk of complications and increased safety.
Benefits of Power-Assisted Liposuction
Patients choose PAL for a number of reasons:
-
More precisely sculpt treated areas
-
Experience less bruising, swelling and discomfort compared to the traditional method
-
Complete their procedure faster because fat removal is more efficient
- Decrease recovery time and improve safety with minimal disruption of surrounding tissue
The Surgery
The time required to perform liposuction may vary considerably, depending on the size of the area, the amount of fat being removed, the type of anesthesia and the technique used. There are several liposuction techniques that can be used to improve the ease of the procedure and to enhance outcome.
Liposuction is a procedure in which localized collections of fat are removed to recontour or reshape one or more areas of the body. Through a tiny incision, a narrow tube or cannula is inserted and used to vacuum the fat layer that lies deep beneath the skin. The cannula is pushed then pulled through the fat layer, breaking up the fat cells and suctioning them out. The suction action is provided by a vacuum pump or a large syringe, depending on the surgeon's preference. If many sites are being treated, your surgeon will then move on to the area, working to keep the incisions as inconspicuous as possible.
Fluid is lost along with the fat, and it's crucial that this fluid be replaced during the procedure to prevent shock. For this reason, patients need to be carefully monitored and receive intravenous fluids during and immediately after surgery.
1. The surgeon inserts a cannula through small incisions in the skin. At the other end of the tube is a vacuum-pressure unit that suctions off the fat.
2. A snug compression garment worn after surgery helps reduce swelling.
Technique variations
The basic technique of liposuction, as described above, is used in all patients undergoing this procedure. However, as the procedure has been developed and refined, several variations have been introduced.
Fluid Injection, a technique in which a medicated solution is injected into fatty areas before the fat is removed, is commonly used by Cosmetic surgeons today.
The fluid — a mixture of intravenous salt solution, lidocaine (a local anesthetic) and epinephrine (a drug that contracts blood vessels) — helps the fat be removed more easily, reduces blood loss and provides anesthesia during and after surgery. Fluid injection also helps to reduce the amount of bruising after surgery.
The amount of fluid that is injected varies depending on the preference of the surgeon. Large volumes of fluid -- sometimes as much as three times the amount of fat to be removed -- are injected in the tumescent technique. Tumescent liposuction, typically performed on patients who need only a local anesthetic, usually takes significantly longer than traditional liposuction (sometimes as long as 4 to 5 hours). However, because the injected fluid contains an adequate amount of anesthetic, additional anesthesia may not be necessary. The name of this technique refers to the swollen and firm or "tumesced" state of the fatty tissues when they are filled with solution.
The super-wet technique is similar to the tumescent technique, except that lesser amounts of fluid are used. Usually the amount of fluid injected is equal to the amount of fat to be removed. This technique often requires IV sedation or general anesthesia and typically takes one to two hours of surgery time.
After Your Liposuction
There will be fluid drainage from the incisions after the procedure. It may be beneficial to place plastic on your bed so it doesn't get soaked from the drainage. To control swelling and to help your skin better fit its new contours, you may be fitted with a snug elastic garment to wear over the treated area for a few weeks. Dr Tabriz may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.
The level of pain experience will vary from person to person. Even though the newer techniques are believed to reduce some post-operative discomforts, you may still experience some pain, burning, swelling, bleeding and temporary numbness. Pain can be controlled with medications prescribed by Dr. Tabriz, though you may still feel stiff and sore for a few days.
It is normal to feel a bit anxious or depressed in the days or weeks following surgery. However, this feeling will subside as you begin to look and feel better.
Getting back to normal
Healing is a gradual process. Dr. Tabriz recommends that you to start walking around as soon as possible to reduce swelling and to help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. You will begin to feel better after about a week or two and you should be back at work within a few days following your surgery. The stitches are removed or dissolve on their own within the first week to 10 days.
Activity that is more strenuous should be avoided for a few days as your body continues to heal. Although most of the bruising and swelling usually disappears within three weeks, some swelling may remain for six months or more.
Dr. Tabriz will schedule follow-up visits to monitor your progress and to see if any additional procedures are needed. If you have any unusual symptoms between visits — for example, heavy bleeding or a sudden increase in pain — or any questions about what you can and can't do, call your doctor.
Risks and Complications
There are risks and complications associated with all elective procedures. While they happen very rarely, hematoma, infection, and skin surface abnormalities are some of the risks associated with Liposuction. However, by choosing a qualified, experienced physician and by following post-op instructions carefully you can help to minimize the actuality of any complications.
Ultimately, making the decision to have aesthetic work done on one's body is a personal decision. Liposuction can get rid of problem areas on your body that don't respond to diet and exercise. Power-Assisted Liposuction can give you the results you are looking for with less trauma to your body, letting you heal faster and see those results quicker.
