Anxiety 2 days before Liposuction, and concerned about fat embolisms. What is the actual cause?

Thank you for you question. It is normal to have anxiety before your surgery.  Make sure your surgeon is a board certified plastic surgeon.  Discuss your concerns with your surgeon for reassurance.  There is risks with any surgery.  Best wishes. 

Liposuction is extremely safe and your risk of a heart embolism is very rare. I recommend talking to your Dr. about your concerns in order to allay your fears so you can focus on healing and getting great results. Best, Dr. Emer

Liposuction is body-contouring procedure that uses suction to remove stubborn fat deposits from under this skin. Because there is a constant suction, fat embolism during liposuction is very rare. This is compared to fat transfer where the fat is injected into the tissues under pressure. During fat transfer, if fat is injected in the wrong location, the fat can end up in a blood vessel - causing a fat embolism. A frank discussion with your board certified plastic surgeon would be the next best step.For more info on Liposcution, see the link below.

Liposuction is a very safe procedure. The risk of fat emboli is exceedingly rare.With the rise of fat transfer and the "BBL," the phenomenon of fat embolus has risen to the forefront. Fat emboli technically refers to a situation in which adipose/fat tissue (which is normally extravascular or outside of the vascular/vessel space) is introduced into the intra-vascular space. This emboli can then travel within the vessel downstream causing an occlusion. This is a very serious complication which requires immediate medical attention. The risk of fat embolus is very, very low for liposuction alone, however, the risk is higher in the setting of fat transfer (in which fat is re-injected into an area rich with large vessels). Special care must be taken to ensure that there is no inadvertent intra-vascular injection. Some techniques include aspiration before injection, use of blunt cannulas for transfer and avoiding intra-muscular injection (lower incidence of vessel cannulation).As always, discuss your concerns with aboard certified plastic surgeon.

Hello and thank you for your question. If good technique is used, the risk of fat embolism is so extremely rare.  Liposuction is a very commonly performed procedure and is extremely safe if performed by a plastic surgeon board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon