What Should I Expect After My Liposuction Operation?

The most common liposuction technique today, from New York to Hawaii and Florida to Alaska

, is tumescent liposuction, which helps reduce bleeding and eliminates the need for general anesthetic, or intravenous fluids. Opinions on the best way to help patients recover from suction lipectomy are regrettably divided.

Tumescent liposuction involves subcutaneously injecting a lidocaine-epinephrine solution into the fat to be removed. The difference of opinion among surgeons stems from differing methods of draining that fluid after the operation.

During the operation, the surgeon uses a round biopsy punch to open wholes called adits in the skin (that's where the surgeion will insert the liposuction cannulas). Traditionally, surgeons would close the adits with sutures, slowing the drainage of tumescent fluid and protracting the postoperative healing period.

A newer method is to leave the adits open, allowing the tumescent fluid to drain much quicker. Aptly called "Open Drainage" this method significantly reduces swelling, bruising, and tenderness at the site of operation and can even cut a patient's recovery time in half. The lack of sutures also reduces the number of postoperative visits to the surgeon's office.

A surgeon using the open-drainage method will provide patients with super-absorbent pads to collect the tumescent fluid as it drains (otherwise it would get all over patients' bodies, clothes, furniture, cars, etc.). Medical supply companies manufacture pads specifically designed for open drainage after liposuction. If your surgeon provides and adhesive foam pad, ask for absorbent pads instead. Adhesive foam pads are not intended for use with liposuction and may increase the risk of infection, skin ulceration and skin necrosis. Additionally, adhesive foam pads may help reduce bruising, but will not reduce swelling at all.

No matter what recovery method your surgeon subscribes to, he or she will provide you with some sort of elastic compression garment. These garments help reduce swelling, bruising, and inflammation by expediting the drainage process. Usually, patients must wear the compression garments for three to six days but the surgeon will determine the exact time period.

Another wonderful advantage of tumescent liposuction is its minimal impact on the body. In most cases, patients may resume normal activities within a day or two. In fact under normal circumstances, the only limitations on a patient's activity level are comfort and common sense. Of course, if the patient had operations on more than one area of the body or had several operations on different days, he or she may take a little longer to recover completly.

by: Christian Heftel

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