Aesthetic Medicine

Archive for the ‘Tumescent Anesthesia’ Category

One of the most difficult-to-accept concepts for our patients  is having cosmetic surgery, totally awake and without pain, even days after the procedure. Most patients are amazed that these procedures can be done safely, effectively, painlessly, with minimal down time, but with truly remarkable benefits.

In reality, tumescent anesthesia is used worldwide and is much safer than general anesthesia. I perform all of my procedures such as liposuction, breast augmentation, breast reduction, tummy tucks and mastopexy under local anesthesia. This method is by far, and without question, the safest way to perform these procedures. The patient is very comfortable and interacts with me and my staff.

The patient is able to communicate how she feels, and even get up to go to the bathroom or have lunch with me and the staff. The most amazing part about tumescent anesthesia is that after surgery the patient is pain-free for up to 48 hours. This means that patients go home without any pain or pain medication. Read the rest of this entry »

I have been asked by many of my patients to explain the use of tumescent anesthesia and performing cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, liposuction with fat transfer as well as Dermolipectomy (technique for performing what is commonly called a tummy tuck).

Many patients believe that cosmetic procedures must be done under general anesthesia and in the hospital or surgical center. The fact is that tumescent anesthesia is the preferred method of performing all these procedures. The use of this relatively new technique allows the patient not only to be awake and interact with the physician but also minimizes bruising, swelling, postoperative pain and most importantly blood loss.

Tumescent anesthesia is technique for delivery of local anesthesia that maximizes safety by using pharmacokinetic principles to achieve extensive regional anesthesia of skin and subcutaneous tissue. The subcutaneous infiltration of a large volume of very dilute lidocaine and epinephrine causes the targeted tissue to become swollen and firm, or tumescent, and permits procedures to be performed on patients without subjecting them to the inherent risks of local anesthesia and blood loss.

In the tumescent technique, areas of excess fat are injected with a large amount of anesthetic liquid before liposuction is performed. The warmed tumescent liquid — a dilute solution containing lidocaine, epinephrine and normal saline, is injected into the area to be treated. As the liquid enters the fat, it becomes swollen, firm and blanched. The liquid causes the compartments of fat to become swollen and firm or “tumesced.” The expanded fat compartments allow the liposuction cannula to travel smoothly and safely beneath the skin as the fat is removed. The shrunken blood vessels as well as the nerves are never traumatized. Read the rest of this entry »