subject: Low Risks Involved In Lipoplasty [print this page] The removal of very large volumes of fat, known as liposuction or lipoplasty, is becoming more and more popular throughout the world. Some believe that liposuction is "just liposuction". However, it is, in fact, a surgery. Although this surgery does have risks, the complication rate is quite low.
A patient may experience some minor side effects such as: bruising, swelling, scars, pain, or limited mobility. However, these side effects generally are short term and should fade over a few weeks. Apart from these temporary effects, more serious complications may occur.
Many of the complications that occur are not related directly to the lipoplasty but to an ancillary procedure such as abdominoplasty, or a cosmetic surgery of the abdomen involving a removal of excess skin and fat and tightening of the abdomen muscles, more commonly known as a "tummy tuck". Complications related to lipoplasty are few.
Surgical risks increase with the greater amount of fat removed. There are some reports of up to 50 pounds of fat being removed in a surgery. The negative aspects of removing too much fat are unusual lumpiness and/or dents in the skin, and the patient may appear "over suctioned". The more fat that is removed, the higher the surgical risk.
The actual procedure of lipoplasty may be performed under general or local anesthesia. The safety of the technique relates not only to the amount of tissue removed, but to the choice of anesthietic and the patients' overall health. It is ideal for the patient to be as fit as possible before the procedure and not to have smoked for several months.
It is also important to select a good physician. Dr. Pitman, an attending plastic surgeon with the Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital in New York, said, "Liposuction is a deceptively complex procedure. It seems easy to do, but in fact, it's hard to do well....if you pay attention to the details of the technique, and if you educate yourself as a surgeon in the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and surgical care of these patients, the operation can be done safely."
When performed on patients that are selected carefully in compliance with safe surgical practice, lipoplasty has a low complication rates. The patient considering surgery should be in good health and not be obese. Also, it is important to select a physician who pays meticulous attention to details during the surgical procedure. Despite the risks that come from liposuction, the complication risk rate is low.
