Dr. David K. Zipfel - Liposuction

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	Overview: Liposuction and tumescent anesthesia Liposuction (or "lipoplasty" or "liposculpture") has been a burgeoning subspecialty of cosmetic surgery for the past 15 years and has evolved into the most common cosmetic surgery procedure performed today. Along with that evolution has been the introduction of the "tumescent" local anesthesia technique for liposuction which is definitely a "kinder and gentler" and safer method and probably the main reason for its tremendous popularity. Computer imaging is particularly appropriate for liposuction and body liposculpture. We consider it an indispensable tool for showing patients what they will look like following liposuction and for making sure that patients expectations are in line with achievable results. Clearly any surgeon who does not employ computer imaging as part of a routine liposuction consultation is not really serious about this procedure.
	The "tumescent technique" employs large volumes of very dilute local anesthetic, not strong enough for more invasive surgery but very adequate for making liposuction comfortable and virtually painless. General anesthesia is not only unnecessary, but it introduces an additional risk and also jeopardizes the final outcome of the procedure. Only very small canulas (liposuction instruments) called "microcanulas," approximately the diameter of a thermometer, are inserted though microincisions to remove the unwanted fat cells. These tiny incisions are hidden in natural skin creases and closed with a single suture. Mild sedation is used to allay any anxiety as patients are usually awake and conversational and pleasantly sedate throughout the procedure. Blood loss is measured in terms of teaspoonfuls and thus is not a real concern; similarly post-op bruising, swelling, and discomfort is kept to a minimum. Perhaps the greatest benefit is that the fat, once removed, does not grow back because the fat cells which store the fat are removed. So the improvements are for a lifetime. As much as ten liters of fat can be removed at one time, and patients report having dropped as much as two or three dress sizes or 4 to 5 inches around the waist after a single procedure.		Choose Connection: Broadband \| Modem * Requires QuickTime 6
	Afterwards, patients are usually out walking and doing light exercise on the first or second post-operative day and back to work in another day or so. As an additional bonus, some of the removed fat can easily be reinjected into other areas of the body where some augmentation may be of benefit (such as lips, cheekbones, chin, or contour lines of the aging face); and there is obviously no concern about tissue incompatibility or rejection. The combination of liposuction and lipoinjection thus accounts for the terms "liposculpture " or "body contouring." The final "super bonus" is yet to be documented scientifically but mounting evidence indicates that liposuction can significantly reduce insulin requirements in diabetics (often down to none), reduces serum lipids and cholestrol, reduces blood pressure in some obese hypertensive patients. All this sounds almost too good to be true, but that's really the way it is. back to top go back to procedures home page?