Liposuction

Liposuction is a cosmetic procedures used by some people to get rid of fat deposits accumulated in specific areas of body, such as: the abdomen, upper back of the arms, buttocks, chest, hips, back, thighs, flank and lower chin. 

Cannula connected with vacuum pump is used to remove undesired fat from the target areas.

It should be noted that this type of operations does not involve decreasing body weight, but only improving the appearance of some areas of the body, as people who are prepared to undergo such operations must be within the normal weight limit in relation to their bodies, and liposuction will not replace following regular methods in maintaining a normal weight and a healthy body such as sports and diets.

Some people make the decision to undergo liposuction after the fail of usual methods such as sports and diets to rid some areas of the body from the accumulated fat.

Others want to change the shape of their bodies and reshape it in another way.

A person who wants to have a liposuction should have a number of conditions to ensure his safety and avoid any complications that may affect his life, such as:

• Over 18 years old.
• Good health and normal weight.
• Not suffering from any of the following diseases: heart disease, diseases of the circulatory system, diabetes or an infectious disease.
• It is preferable not to be old; because their skin lacks elasticity.
• Not undergoing liposuction and tummy tuck surgeries at the same time; the chances of death in this case may increase, and some countries often impose conditions within the law that prevent the combining between these two operations because of its serious consequences.

Before undergoing liposuction surgery, the patient must undergo a series of tests, which include the following:

• Comprehensive blood test (CBC), to check the amount of hemoglobin in the blood and make sure that the patient does not have anemia.
• Blood clotting test PT and PTT.
• Know the patient's medical history.
• Physical examination.

Liposuction may involve several risks and complications, including:

• Bleeding and allergic reaction to the anesthesia.
• Inflammation or bacterial infection.
• Irregularity in the form of the area from which the fat was removed due to: poor elasticity of skin, not evenly removing fat or healing the liposuction area unusually.
• Shock due to the less of replacing the lost fluids during the surgery.
• Subcutaneous fluid accumulation.
• Temporary and possibly permanent numbness in the area of liposuction.
• Fat embolism, due to the entry of fat pieces to the blood vessels and it is accumulated in the lungs or traveled through the bloodstream to reach the brain.
• Allergy to certain medications used during the procedure.
• Damage of the nerves, skin, tissues or organs as a result of the use of heat or some devices used during liposuction.
• Problems with the lungs, heart or kidneys as a result of varying fluid levels after injection and re-suctioned.
• Lidocaine poisoning, which an anesthetic often is given during liposuction, can in some cases cause poisoning, leading to serious heart and central nervous system problems.
• Dents or scars on the skin.

This surgery includes 3 stages:

• Preparing the patient for the surgery:

After a series of required tests, a sample of blood and a urine sample are required the day before the surgery for further confirmation and to avoid possible complications.

The responsible plastic surgeon discusses the amount of fat to be removed and informs the patient of all possible risks, after which the patient signs the consent form for liposuction.

The plastic surgeon draws a set of lines and circles on the skin to determine where the fat will be removed and reshaped. Also he may take some photos for the patient to compare the results after the surgery with the previous shape. The patient is given antibiotics, and if he is not allergic to Betadine, some of it is applied to the skin to avoid any infections that may occur.

The patient is attached with a range of devices to monitor blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen level in blood during the procedure.

• During the surgery: 

After local or total anesthesia, the plastic and reconstructive surgeon performs the following steps:

1. Make a small incision (may be multiple incisions if the area is larger) and introduce the suction tube (cannula) to the place of accumulated fat that will be suctioned.
2. Move the tube through the fat, as it consists of a sharp end able to dislodge the fat.
3. Suction dislodged fat through a suction tube using vacuum pump.
4. Insert a tube to drain fluids and blood that have accumulated or that may accumulate in the area of fat suction.
5. Incisions are closed and the area is tightened by wrapping it with a compression garment or so-called corset.

It is worth mentioning that liposuction may be performed through different techniques depending on the case, the most important are:

1. Tumescent liposuction.
2. Super wet-technique.
3. Laser-assisted liposuction.
4. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

• After the surgery: 

The patient may experience pain and swelling after the liposuction, but the pain disappear within a few weeks after the surgery. He may also feel some numbness in the same area which may continue for weeks. The patient can take over-counter pain relievers. A post-liposuction instruction is also to wear a corset over the area from which the fat was removed to get the desired results later. In addition, it is preferable that the head of the bed be raised to avoid swellings that may occur in the liposuction area.

Swelling can begin to decrease within a month after liposuction, as well as bruises from the surgery, which can take several weeks to disappear. As for the formation of scars, their disappearance depends on the amount of fat removed, since if the amount of removed fat is higher it may take a year to disappear.

The patient can gain a bit of weight, but often return to normal weight within a month.