|
Dr
Body Contouring with
Tumescent Microcannula Liposuction
Be an Informed Consumer
Many surgeons say they
perform tumescent liposuction, but not all of them do. Why? Because tumescent
liposuction is a time consuming, labor intensive operation that can take several
hours. To help you get all the benefits of tumescent liposuction, here are a few
questions to ask your prospective surgeon during your initial consultation.
What size cannulas will you use?
Traditional cannulas are about the diameter of your little finger. Tumescent liposuction cannulas are less
than 3/16th inch in diameter when
used to suction body fat and even smaller diameter when used for facial
liposuction. It is especially important that the surgeon use the smallest
cannulas possible if you want optimal results and even skin texture.
Will I need to donate blood in
advance?
If the surgeon says yes, chances are he/she isn’t using the
tumescent technique, and your donation is in anticipation of a blood loss during
surgery. This does not happen with the tumescent microcannula technique because
the combination of infusing tumescent solution and the use of small cannulas
prevent excessive trauma and minimize blood loss.
Will you use general anesthesia?
If a surgeon uses general anesthesia, beware. General anesthesia (being put
completely asleep and lose your ability to breathe on your own) carries
additional risks. Some scientific studies report that one in every five thousand
patients “put under” general anesthesia will not wake up. If a doctor uses
general anesthesia, it’s a good indication that the true tumescent technique
is not performed in that facility.
Tumescent vs. Traditional Liposuction
The differences between tumescent and traditional
liposuction have been published in a booklet that outlines both kinds of
liposuction in detail. Rhoda S. Narins, MD, director of The Dermatology Surgery
and Laser Center of New York, publishes this booklet. The following chart, a
modified excerpt, provides a good synopsis:
|
Tumescent
Liposuction
(TL)
(
vs.
General
Anesthesia (GA) |
|
During
Surgery |
|
TL |
Patient
is awake, sometimes conversing with the doctor and assistants; use of
specially designed small cannulas permit gentler surgery. |
| GA |
Patient
is unconscious and may be jostled about due to usage of large suction
instruments. |
|
Cosmetic
Results |
|
TL |
Swelling and
firmness of fatty tissues, as a result of the infusion of local
anesthesia, minimizes the risk of post-operative irregularities of the
skin. |
| GA |
May produce
dimples if fat is removed too close to the skin. |
|
Blood
Loss |
|
TL |
Virtually no
blood loss due to constriction of the blood vessels through the use of
epinephrine in the anesthetic solution. |
| GA |
Potentially
serious blood loss. |
|
Post
-Operative Soreness |
|
TL |
Local
anesthesia lasts for 12 to 30 hours. Soreness that follows is
usually described as the way you would feel the day after exercising very,
very vigorously. |
| GA |
Little or no
anesthetic is used with general anesthesia, therefore the post-operative
pain is immediate and prominent. |
|
Post
-Operative Side Effects |
|
TL |
Patients
rarely experience nausea and vomiting and have minimal drowsiness that is
usually gone within 6 to 24 hours. |
| GA |
Many
patients experience nausea and vomiting, headaches, and drowsiness
following general anesthesia that may persist for days. |
|
Returning
to Work |
|
TL |
Three
to seven days depending on the extent of fat removal. Minimal pain allows
most people to return within one week. |
| GA |
At
least one to two weeks off work is not uncommon with significant pain
during that time. |
|
Light
Exercise |
|
TL |
One
to seven days after surgery. |
| GA |
Three
to four weeks after surgery. |
|
Vigorous
Exercise |
|
TL |
Two
to three weeks after surgery. |
| GA |
One
to three months after surgery. |
|
Medications |
|
TL |
Tylenol
is usually sufficient, if needed. Occasionally, Vicodin. |
| GA |
Narcotic
pain medication needed. |
|
Risk |
|
TL |
Infection
very rare secondary to the antibacterial properties of the tumescent
solution. |
| GA |
Infection
uncommon. |
Some
information and ideas for this publication were taken from Self Magazine,
November, 1995, and Cosmopolitan Magazine, December, 1995.
View
our Fast Facts page
or CLICK HERE for more information and
pictures.
|
