Tumescent Liposuction Vs. Liposuction

1. What is tumescent liposuction?  Tumescent liposuction is using fluid to tumesce or blow up the tissues with fluid. The purpose of this is that the fluid contains lidocaine which helps numb the area and epinephrine which helps minimize oozing and subsequently bruising.

 

2. Standard liposuction does not use this fluid and is rarely used by plastic surgeons anymore.

 

3. A far majority will agree that the benefits of the tumescence solution by far out weight any disadvantages for not using it.

 

4. Don’t forget that this extra fluid on board may make you feel heavier the first day or two after surgery. It does take 48hrs for the body to resorb the extra fluid and eliminate through the kidneys.

I hope this clears up any questions.

Dr. S

All liposuction procedures performed today involve some degree of tumescence.  Tumescence simply refers to the injection of fluid (usually a mixture of saline, lidocaine, and epinephrine) into the areas of planned liposuction prior to the actual removal of fat.  The addition of the fluid decreases operative blood loss, decreases pain, and increase the tissue turgor so that removal of fat can be performed  more effectively.

1.  Tumescence Liposuction-  the injection of approximately 3x the amount of fluid as the amount of planned fat removal

2.  Super Wet Liposuction-  the injection of approximately the same amount of fluid as planned fat removal

3.  Wet Liposuction-  the injection of about 300cc of fluid into each area of planned liposuction

4.  Dry Liposuction- the injection of no fluid prior to liposuction.

Options 3 and 4 are rarely performed today.

Jaime Perez, M.D.

Liposuction Specialist in Tampa, FL

Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa, FL

With pure Tumescent Liposuction (which is first described by Dr. Klein in Southern California, utilized by most dermatologic surgeon), the procedure is performed under mild sedation and there is no general anesthesia, the procedure can take half of a day if not whole day, and patients can provide feedback if the liposuction surgeon is too rough. With traditional plastic surgery approach, tumescent lipsuction is performed under general anesthesia with IV infusion of fluids, procedure typically gets done in a couple hours, with larger cannula, occasionally done by a nurse while the plastic surgeon is working on facelifts or other procedure. There are good surgeons and suboptimal liposuction surgeons performing both techniques. Please make sure you do your homework.