Tumescent Liposuction: Find Out the Benefits and Risks of This Option

One of the most popular methods of liposuction is the tumescent type. This involves injecting lots of liquid into patients during the treatment. The injected substance is full of anesthetic, which not only numbs the body, but also makes both surgery and recovery go smoothly. Therefore, many doctors and patients alike opt to use this method. Find out the specifics about this procedure before you decide whether it is the best one for you. 

What separates tumescent liposuction from other methods is the use of lots of liquid during treatment. The fluid that is injected is made up of a local anesthetic called lidocaine, as well as epinephrine, which can shrink the blood vessels. These substances are combined and then placed into the area where the doctor is suctioning out the fat. Once the liquid comes near fat, the area tends to swell up and become hard, making it obvious to the doctor which part of the body needs to be treated. In addition, since the surgeon is aware of the exact area that he needs to work on, less blood is lost during the treatment, allowing it to go smoothly. This is in contrast to the more traditional method of liposuction, during which hardly any liquid is injected into the body. 

You may be aware of how the fluid works in the tumescent operation, but what does this mean for you? The first thing you should know is that more local anesthetic is a good thing during treatment, as you are unlikely to feel any discomfort, and you do not have to get the general anesthesia. This means you likely do not have to fast before the surgery, and you will probably not have to deal with the nausea that tends to occur with this drug. Plus, the solution that is used during this type of operation can also shrink the capillaries. What this means for you is that you will bleed less during surgery, and then you will have less swelling and bruising afterward, resulting in a shorter recovery period. 

Like any other type of procedure, tumescent liposuction does present a few risks. The most common one, which is actually still a rare occurrence, is that the lidocaine in the injected fluid is too high for your body so it cannot properly deal with it. Another risk is that too much fluid in general is injected, which can lead to it collecting in your lungs. Doctors who measure the liquid properly and then constantly monitor you during surgery can avoid these issues. As long as you use a surgeon who has performed this procedure countless times without issues, you should be quite safe. 

Not every doctor is willing to perform this type of liposuction on all patients. If these benefits sound good to you and you want to get this surgery done, talk to your surgeon to find out if he or she recommends this for you. Consider getting opinions from a few doctors before determining whether this is the safest route, and then choose the surgeon with the most experience with it.