Potential Risks & Complications
of Tumescent Liposuction
More about Tumescent Liposuction...
To find out more about liposuction in Pennsylvania, contact Philadelphia liposuction surgeon Dr. Abbott or request a free liposuction consultation today.
Risks of General Anesthesia
The drugs that are used to produce general anesthesia are relatively
dangerous compared to those used for local anesthesia. It is
estimated that fatal complications associated with general anesthesia
occur approximately between 1 in every 2,500 patients to 1 in
every 10,000 patients. The severe complications associated with
general anesthesia are eliminated as serious risk factors just
by not using these medications. It is well recognized that local
anesthesia is considerably safer than general anesthesia.
Tumescent Technique Is Less Painful Than General Anesthesia
Some patients have had liposuction by another surgeon using general
or regional anesthesia, prior to having liposuction using the
Tumescent Technique. Virtually every one of these patients has
said that liposuction by the Tumescent Technique is a dramatically
less painful experience than with general or regional anesthesia.
With the Tumescent Technique infiltrating the local anesthesia
is associated with minimal discomfort and once the area has been
completely numbed, surgery in the area is essentially painless.
In addition, because the local anesthesia persists in the treated
area for more than 12 hours, there is no pain immediately after
the surgery.
Risks of Any Surgery
As with any surgical procedure, liposuction is associated with
certain common side-effects such as bruising, swelling and temporary
numbness. Although irregularities of the skin are possible following
liposuction, this side-effect is minimized by the Tumescent Technique.
When larger cannulas are used occasionally patients developed
an irregularity of the skin. While using micro cannulas, noticeable
irregularities are very rare. Because of the slow resolution
of post surgical swelling, the ultimate results following liposuction
usually require approximately 12-24 weeks to become fully apparent. Nevertheless,
patients can usually see dramatic improvements within two to
four weeks after surgery.
Although the results of liposuction are quite spectacular, it
is not realistic to expect perfection. Liposuction of the thighs,
while improving the silhouette, does not necessarily eliminate
the subtle "puckering" of the skin that is often referred
to as cellulite." Liposuction with the Tumescent Technique
does reduce the degree of cellulite but it is unlikely to eliminate
it.
As judged by current world-wide experience, liposuction is amazingly
safe. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been any
reported serious complications or deaths using the Tumescent Technique
for liposuction totally by local anesthesia.
Rare problems that can potentially occur with any surgical procedure
include infections, bleeding, and nerve injury. However, the
Tumescent Technique minimizes these potential risks.
Decreased Risks of Infection with the Tumescent Technique
Infections are extremely rare, irrespective of whether or not
the anesthetic technique is that of general anesthesia or local
anesthesia. Although there have been reports in the medical literature
of patients who have had serious infections following liposuction
surgery, to the best of my knowledge, there has never been any
patients who have had an infection following liposuction totally
by local anesthesia using the Tumescent Technique. Lidocaine,
the local anesthetic that is used for the Tumescent Technique
kills bacteria, therefore the liposuctioned treated areas will
receive the local anesthetic that kills bacteria.
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