Do you have to be fasting before Smart Lipo under local anesthesia?

Hello and thank you for your question on Smart Lipo. If you are having a Smart Lipo procedure with local anesthesia, you will not need to fast beforehand. Fasting is a precaution only required for general anesthesia to eliminate the risk of releasing your stomach contents during surgery. In fact, your board certified facial plastic surgeon will likely recommend you have a small meal before your local anesthesia to avoid hypoglycemia and also to help settle your stomach. You should limit your fluid intake beforehand, however, so that you do not have to use the bathroom during your procedure. I hope this information helps you. Good luck with your lipo!- Elbert T. Cheng, MD

Hi jfcolindres, thanks for your question!  No, you do not need to fast before a smart lipo procedure under local anesthesia.  Lipo under local anesthesia is becoming more common, depending on how many areas you are trying to target.  If you have more areas, or larger areas to treat, a general anesthesia may be the better option, which would require you to fast beforehand.  Additionally, smartlipo under local anesthesia may not permit as aggressive of a treatment as would smart lip under a general anesthesia when the patient is asleep.  I recommend speaking to your plastic surgeon for more information.  Best of luck! 

hello jfcolindres Liposuction can be performed in an outpatient setting such as the surgeon’s office or an outpatient surgical facility.  The procedure can last from 30mins to several hours depending on the body areas being treated.  Local anaesthesia can be used for small areas, but in the case of a larger  procedure involving several areas over several hours ,general anaesthesia will provide a more comfortable and safe experience. #local #lipo