Does liposuction usually require an overnight stay?

Question

I am 5'3 and 130 lbs . I'm looking at having some lipo on my bra bulge, my upper arms and my thighs. I work out 5 days a week and am in pretty good shape. Does not seem like it would be a surgery that would require an overnight stay but during my consult, they said it would be necessary. I don't have health issues. Is this an odd requirement or a normal ask from a PS given my scenario.

Ned Snyder, IV, MD · Answer

Thank you for submitting your question! Based on the information you provided, undergoing liposuction to the bra bulge, arms, thighs does not typically require overnight stay for observation. It would be completely reasonable to go home on the same day, as long as you have a caregiver that can assist you at home for at least the first couple of days after your surgery. The length of time and level of care that a patient requires after surgery is different for everyone. There may be other extenuating circumstances with your case that would cause your surgeon to recommend an overnight stay. Feel free to reach back out to your surgeon to review this plan of care, if you wish. Good luck and thank you for reaching out!

Mitchel Goldman, MD · Answer

It depends on the type of liposuction performed and the extent of the correction you require. In my practice, we typically perform liposuction using local anesthesia and micro-cannulas that remove the fat and sculpt the area at the same time. Our patients usually have just a few days of downtime after treatment. I recommend scheduling a second consultation with a board-certified physician with expertise in this method of body contouring for further information and treatment recommendations.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

in my practice we make everyone do overnight stay, as liposuction can cause lightheaded-ness, dizziness, and pain that should be watched in first 24 hours. my patients also get hormonal optimization before and after the procedure to help in healing as well.
 
You need a formal evaluation by an expert in body shaping and contouring to determine what is best.  Traditional liposuction awake and smart liposuction are old methods and do very poorly for tightening skin or significant skin tightening or contouring.  Small problem areas can be improved slightly by these methods.  The best in body contouring not only removes fat with energy devices like VASER ultrasound but also internally heat the skin with radio-frequency devices such as J PLASMA/RENUVION, InMode BodyTite, ThermiRF to heat the under surface of the skin and tighten it at the same time as fat removal. These combinations are called 4D HIDEF VASER contouring and can only be done by a well . trained body contouring specialist. At the same time fat should be harvested, PRP and stem cells added and injected into muscles or indentations/cellulite to get body shaping and contouring.  This is known as a Brazilian butt lift when you inject the fat to the buttock for contouring and lifting, but fat can also be used in areas such as the chest/breast, arms/shoulders, calves and face.  Cellulite should also be treated with cellfina, sculptra, subcision and/or fillers such as bellafill, renuva synthetic fat, or sculptra.  If skin is very loose before surgery then it will need to be removed such as lower abdominal skin (tummy tuck/abdominoplasty), breast skin (breast lift), arm skin (brachioplasty).  Overall you need a full assessment, but simple liposuction alone will not tighten skin and needs a combination of various methods -- fat removal, skin tightening, defining, fat grafting, skin removal -- to get the best in body contouring and body sculpting.  Dr. Emer.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

Liposuction is an outpatient procedure in our practice; patient goes home after surgery with an adult person. Blood loss after liposuction is minimal; State of Florida law limits outpatient liposuction to a maximum of 4 litters. Liposuction over 5 litters may need overnight hospital stay. It doesn't seem that you are in that group. Second opinion consultation with an experienced plastic surgeon is recommended. Good luck.

Erik Miles, MD, FACS · Answer

The vast majority of liposuction cases are outpatient procedures where the patient goes home after surgery.  In some high volume liposuction cases, patients are admitted overnight for monitoring.  Best wishes.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Orchard40,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. Generally speaking, there is no need for overnight stay after liposuction. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Salih Onur Basat, MD, EBOPRAS · Answer

Hi and thanks for your question. If your surgery will be done under general anesthesia, I recommend one night hospital stay. After the surgery you can wake up easily, but effect of the anesthetic medicines continue in your body. You can get rid of effect of the anesthetic medicines one night after the surgery.  Because of this reason, if you get surgery under general anesthesia, you should stay one night in hospital.

Michael Ingargiola, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. In my experience patients do not need to stay overnight for a liposuction procedure. We do require you to bring/or we order a compression garment and also a post op 2 day follow up that can also be done on facetime. Clarify with your plastic surgeon the specific reason for the overnight. I hope this helps!

Mark T. Boschert, MD · Answer

I agree with you, it seems like an odd request for a 130 pound healthy person with less than 5000 cc of suction.  I would consult other places to find other opinions.  Best of luck! Dr Boschert

Scott R. Brundage, MD · Answer

The number one priority in any surgical procedure is the patient safety. We have been doing liposuction as an outpatient for over 20 years. We have had no untowards effect by doing this. Many surgeons feel more comfortable keeping you overnight and this is OK. There is one consideration whereupon you should stay overnight is in large volume liposuction. This is when more than 5 liters is removed. This would be highly doubtful in your situation.

Does liposuction usually require an overnight stay?

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