Abdomen liposuction with local anesthetic?

Limited liposuction can be performed under local anesthesia.  If you are going to get multiple areas and you want maximal results, you will have to find a plastic surgeon who generates dramatic results.  You also do not want to be in pain during the procedure so that the surgeon must stop the procedure or do less than what is necessary.   For this reason, general is a better option for my patients.  Find a board certified plastic surgeon with elite educational, experience, and training credentials who performs hundreds of liposuction procedures each year.  Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results with favorable patient reviews.Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Despite many claims to the contrary, liposuction is an invasive procedure requiring a sterile environment, pain control, and monitoring.  The standard of care is to have lipousuction done by a well trained, experienced board certified plastic surgeon in the proper environment.

Awake liposuction can be done safely and with excellent results that are comparable to asleep surgery by surgeons experienced in the techniques.

Liposuction under general anesthesia can allow for more fat removal, body shaping and contouring. or best results, I recommend a hi definition procedure like VASER liposuction. I use VASER HI DEF with ThermRF and fat grafting to get the most fat removal, skin tightening, contour and definition. This combination will give you the most toned result. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a hi definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer

It all depends on the physical examination, the amount of fat to be extracted and the type of patient. Small volumes (up to 1 Lt) can be performed comfortably with local anesthesia on an outpatient basis and frequently in the office (if the doctor has a surgical area). It is usually a procedure that is performed with sedation and local anesthesia or with epidural block, some doctors prefer general anesthesia. This is a procedure that is usually done outpatient and its results are very satisfactory. Talk to your surgeon and between the two you will find the best option for you.I Hope I Have Been Helpful, Dr. Manuel Ventura Certified, Medical Research Institute of Plastic Surgery in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

As a general rule, to get the best result the patient needs to be comfortable during the procedure. This almost always requires some degree of anesthetic beyond local. I usually recommend general for full abdomen and flanks, but there are many that would use IV sedation.

Almost any cosmetic surgery can be done with only local anesthesia. But WHY?
Safety should be the primary concern with comfort a close second. Properly monitored anesthesia in a clean and proper operating room with a dedicated anesthesia professional is usually best. If your doctor does not have privileges at a local hospital wonder why.
Good luck

Thank you for your question. Yes, I have performed hundreds if not thousands of liposuction procedures under local anesthetic. I find it much more beneficial for patient safety and see excellent results with tumescent liposuction. The benefit is also having the patient stand after the procedure to ensure complete, even removal of the unwanted fat.  The recovery process is very quick and the results are quite impressive.  Best,Ariel Ostad MD PC 

Thank you for your question. Certainly can be done under local. I do it most of my liposuctions under local in the office. Please consult with a board certified PS for evaluation.

Liposuction, the removal of fat through small incisions in the skin and suction cannulas, can be performed with these 3 anesthesia options:Wide awakeMild sedationTotally asleepAll surgeons inject a fluid solution into the tissues before the liposuction.  This "tumescent solution" contains local anesthesia (lidocaine) and epinephrine (Adrenalin).  The tumescent solution will numb the area and the epinephrine will constrict the blood vessels to decrease blood loss during the procedure.After the tumescent fluid is injected the area should be numb, so you could be wide awake during the procedure, but you would feel the initial fluid injection.  This is good for small areas of liposuction.   A larger area of liposuction could be treated if you have a mild sedation (IV sedation, anesthetic gas, oral amnestic drugs) as it would not hurt as much, or you just won't remember.  For even longer procedures or more areas of liposuction, being totally asleep (general anesthesia) is best.The choice is between you and the surgeon, but here is the most important part of the procedure.  A Board Certified Anesthesia person needs to be in the room at all times monitoring your vital signs, even with a local anesthetic.  There are many medications used during this procedure and an allergic reaction or some unknown heart or breathing problem could develop (remember Joan Rivers!).  You do not want your surgeon or some random person in the room trying to resuscitate you.  The surgical facility should be national accredited (JCAH, AAASF, AAAASF), this will assure that certain safety standards are being met and the ability to treat any emergency that can occur during the procedure.  Your surgeon should also be Board Certified in a real ABMS (American Board of Medical Specialists) Board, not some self designated board like the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, this is NOT a real ABMS board, just make believe!Patients that cut corners for discounts in price, usually end up paying a much higher price with poor surgical results and risk unnecessary post op problems like infection and hospitalization, don't make that mistake, do your homework first!!Good Luck!