subject: Understanding Your Liposuction Anesthesia [print this page] When deciding whether or not to get liposuction, it's easy to get caught up in choosing where to get it, how much fat to remove, and what doctor to get it from. It's also important to remember that it is a form of surgery that has risks, so your decision about anesthesia should get just as much attention.
There are several different options for your anesthesia, and which one you choose will depend on your doctor's recommendation, the amount of fat you plan on having removed, the location of the procedure being performed, and your pain tolerance.
It's a decision you'll want to discuss with your doctor, but you'll want to know the benefits and risks of your different options before making a decision.
One option for lipoplasty is a general, or systemic, anesthesia. Under this procedure, the doctor will either have you inhale a sedative drug in gas form or inject a sedative drug intravenously (yes, this means with a needle).
With general anesthesia, you will be unconscious for the duration of the surgery--a real draw for those who are squeamish or anxious about the procedure. Another advantage of this method is that there is no limit to the amount of fat that can be taken out at one time, and there's no risk of you moving around and distracting your surgeon, hard at work.
However, general anesthesia has more risks associated with it than other forms. The only liposuction-related deaths reported by the New York medical examiner were surgeries performed under this method of anesthesia. The danger is of removing too much fat or performing too many surgeries in one day, which can put your life at risk. Death is not common, but it is more common under general anesthesia than others.
Also, under general anesthesia your recovery process will be a little longer than localized, and you may have to stay at your doctor's overnight after surgery.
Another option for your lypoplasty anesthesia is localized anesthetic through the "tumescent technique." This a relatively new procedure, developed by dermatological surgeons during the 1980s, and many cosmetic surgeons have begun offering only this technique.
"Tumescent" means swollen and firm. Your doctor will inject intravenously (once again, that's a needle) a drug that has two parts: lidocaine is the anesthetic part of the drug. It reduces pain so effectively that there is no need for sedation. Epinephrine, or adrenaline, effectively prevents excessive bleeding during the liposuction procedure.
The tumescent technique eliminates the most dangerous risks associated with lypoplasty. With the surgical bleeding under this method averaging only one to two teaspoons, it eliminates the need for a blood transfusion. Also, only a certain amount of fat can be removed under this technique --eliminating that death risk associated with general sedation.
The recovery process for liposuction performed under this local anesthetic is generally preferable to the recovery from the general anesthetic. You can go home (well, get a ride home) right after the surgery, the recovery length is shorter, and there is significantly less bruising.
However, for those who are fidgety or squeamish, local anesthetic might not be the way to go. While you will not feel any pain, you will experience some pulling or tugging sensations, and if you can't hold still for the doctor, well, that's a problem.
Ask your surgeon which type of anesthesia he recommends, who will be performing the anesthesia, and your personal risks for each type. You may want to consult several doctors before making your decision.
