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There are five major liposuction techniques being performed
today: Traditional
Liposuction, Tumescent
Liposuction, Ultrasonic
Liposuction, Fluid Injection,
and the Super-wet technique. To find
a plastic surgeon near you, visit our Find a Surgeon page
or complete our Find a Plastic Surgeon form.
The following is a general introduction to the major techniques
most often used by plastic surgeons:
Traditional Liposuction is a procedure in
which consists of the removal of excess fat from any of a
number of areas of the body (such as such as the chin, cheeks,
neck, upper arms, above breasts, abdomen, buttocks, hips,
thighs, knees, calves, or ankles) in order to reshape the
body’s natural contours. A small tube called a cannula
is inserted through a small incision and used to vacuum the
fat layer that lies deep beneath the skin. The suction action
is supplied by a vacuum pump or a large syringe. Fatty tissue
is broken up using the cannula which makes for easier extraction.
Finally, incisions are sutured and all extracted fat is properly
disposed of.
The Tumescent Liposuction technique involves
injecting a mixture of local anesthetic, adrenaline, and saline
just below the skin. In the tumescent procedure, areas of
excess fat are injected with a large amount of anesthetic
liquid (lidocaine) before the surgery is performed to numb
the surgical area, and adrenaline is also applied to constrict
blood vessels. For these reasons tumescent liposuction results
in less discomfort and blood loss than traditional liposuction.
After the solution is injected into the surgical sites, it
spreads throughout the tissues. The liquid causes the layers
of fat to become swollen and firm; liposuction is then performed.
The process removes most of the liquid, and any left-over
fluids will drain through tiny openings.
Ultrasonic-Assisted liposuction (commonly
known as UAL) uses ultrasonic sound waves produced by a generator
to liquefy fatty tissue in the body and convert it into oil
so that it can be easily removed with a small vacuum-like
tube called a cannula. The process involves the introduction
of tumescent fluids to harden the fat tissue; the cannula
is then inserted through an incision attached to the ultrasonic
probe which, when emitting ultrasonic sound waves, will turn
the fat into oil; this oil is then suctioned out through the
hollow cannula. Ultrasonic liposuction is favored in times
when traditional liposuction techniques cannot be employed
to extract fat because the target surgical region is out of
reach (such as in the upper abdomen, flanks, hip and back)
or for removing larger volumes of fat in a single procedure.
Fluid-injection liposuction has several
advantages: it facilitates the extraction of fat; minimizes
blood loss; provides anesthesia during and after surgery;
and helps to lessen the amount of bruising after surgery.
These advantages are provided for by a solution mixture which
in injected into fat deposits before they are removed. This
solution consists of an intravenous salt solution, a local
anesthetic (lidocaine) and epinephrine (used to contract blood
vessels).
The Super-Wet technique is only different
from tumescent liposuction in that it does not require as
much fluid. The amount of fluid injected is normally equal
to the amount of fat to be removed. However, there is more
blood loss with the super-wet method than with the tumescent
technique (approximately 8% of the fluid removed through super-wet
is blood, unlike the tumescent technique where only 1% of
the fluid removed is blood). The advantage with the super-wet
technique is that it only takes one to two hours to complete,
whereas tumescent liposuction could
take up to five hours. Also, the super-wet liposuction is
comparably safer than the tumescent method because there are
less fluids being introduced into the body.
To get referred
to a Board Certified plastic surgeon with experience
in Liposuction surgery
Call our Toll Free Number (800) 449 - 1884 or
fill out our Find
a Plastic Surgeon form. |
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