Do you get put to sleep? (Photo)

I use the tumescent technique for liposuction, in combination with general anesthesia. The fluid that is used contains epinephrine
to decrease the risks of bleeding and bruising, and lidocaine to decrease the
amount of anesthesia that you need during the operation. The lidocaine also
provides pain relief after surgery. The procedure is performed under
intravenous anesthesia, with a board certified anesthesiologist present
throughout the operation. This allows me
to feather the areas that are being treated, creating a smooth transition into
the surrounding areas, without causing you any pain. The cannulae I can use are small in
diameter. Which ones I choose depends on
the amount of fat, the condition of the skin, the area being suctioned, the
character of the fat, and the amount of fibrous tissue. The wounds are just large enough to allow
passage of the cannulae. They are hidden
in areas that are inconspicuous.

It is common to perform liposuction of the abdomen, hips,
and thighs together. This treats the
trunk as one aesthetic unit, giving the best overall results. Of course this depends on the patient’s
anatomy. It is possible that only parts
of the trunk require treatment. If these
areas are small, it may be possible to do arms, knees, or under the chin at the
same time The surgery is personalized to your goals and anatomy.

Liposuction can be done under general anesthesia. With this type of anesthesia, you will be given medication to calm your nerves before going into the OR, and will not feel anything during the procedure. Awake liposuction is done with you awake. You will have some preoperative medication to make you more relaxed. However, you will experience the local anesthetic and may feel movement and vibration during the procedure. If you are very concerned about being awake, choose general anesthesia.

The decision regarding the type of anesthesia to be used is made cooperatively by the patient and their surgeon.  You should know that in cases of less than a few hours' duration, and with limited fat deposits, laser liposuction can be performed under local anesthesia, frequently with oral sedation, and patients can be quite comfortable!  IV sedation or general anesthesia may be used for larger cases or due to patient preference.  Often times, the number of liposuction sites, the size of the fat deposits, a patient's overall health, and considerations of expense can influence the decision.