General or local anesthetic for liposuction?

Using Houston liposuction, you can reshape your body in different areas like thighs, hips and buttocks, waist and abdomen, upper arms, inner knee, chest area, cheeks, chin, neck, calves or ankles. Although liposuction cannot be considered as a treatment for losing weight; it will only help with removing extra fat deposits on desired areas.

Liposuction

In 1920, the first attempt to remove fat pockets in order to reshape the body contour was made when French surgeon, Charles Dujarier, experimented with this type of procedure. The surgery failed to reach his objective as the person who volunteered for the procedure developed gangrene inside the leg. It was only later in 1974 when safer liposuction was made. This was made in Italy when Giorgio and Arpad Fischer developed the so-called “tunneling technique.”

They used an electric scalpel to destroy fat cells and a small vacuum machine to suction them. However, this procedure had a high risk of necrosis. Eight years later in 1982, liposuction took a promising step called the “Illouz Method.” It was named after the doctor that invented it, Yves-Gerard Illouz. He introduced a new device used even today, called a “cannula.” It was still a suction-based procedure, only this time a different tube was inserted without generating any kind of electric power. They proved much safer and with this type of device, the procedure became “a safe ground” with the number of complications drastically reducing.

Your doctor will decide which type of liposuction is better for you after a thorough examination. You will need to sign a consent form before the surgery where everything is explained to you, such as what you can expect for this procedure. You will then be monitored via special equipment. Your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen level will be supervised by the medical staff. Usually, there is no need for hospitalization after the surgery. An antibiotic will be given to you either before or after the surgery in order to prevent any possible infection.

Local or General Anesthetic

Similar to other medical interventions, you will need to be placed under anesthetic. Your doctor will choose either local or general anesthetic. This decision involves two main factors: the number of fat cells that need to be removed and the patient's medical condition.

●    Local anesthetic

This local anesthetic is used mainly when small amounts of fat cells need to be removed or when the patient cannot be subjected to general anesthetic due to his medical condition. If the medical condition will not allow the patient to be put under general anesthetic but still has to have a substantial amount of fat cells removed, multiple interventions will be necessary.

The mortality rate has significantly reduced with a local anesthetic. If under general anesthetic 1 in 40,000 can result in death, with local anesthetic the ratio is reduced to 1 in 300,000. Also, statistics show that 98% of malpractice lawsuits involving liposuction were performed under general anesthetic. That is why most doctors will choose to use local anesthetic whenever possible.

The solution used for a local anesthetic is made up of epinephrine, lidocaine and sodium bicarbonate. All three are mixed and administered into the fat layers. The anesthetic will last almost 12 hours when the solution will start to be absorbed into the bloodstream and then metabolized through the liver. People with allergies to any of these solutions or with liver conditions will be disqualified from this type of anesthetic. One of the other reasons why a local anesthetic is much safer is that during a local anesthetic, the patient has full control over the muscles and he will be able to breathe normally without creating respiratory issues. Also during local anesthetic, the patient will be able to speak all the time with the doctor. 

●    General anesthetic

A general anesthetic is mainly used when liposuction is needed for reshaping the abdomen, also known as abdominoplasty. Basically, if larger amounts of fat need to be removed, a general anesthetic is mainly used. In order for a patient to qualify for general anesthetic, he or she must not have any pulmonary conditions or low blood pressure. The patient will also be asleep, so it is much safer for the doctor to perform the procedure, reducing the risks of punctures if the patient suddenly moves on the table.

There are two types of general anesthetic that can be used. It can be either gas that is inhaled, usually propofol or administered intravenously. You will be completely asleep and unaware of what happens during the procedure. If you are going to be subjected to general anesthetic, you will need to declare any recent medications that you took prior to the surgery, including herbal products or supplements. Some patients will require a few hours of hospitalization after a general anesthetic as it is better for medical staff to keep an eye on you after the procedure. Also, you need to know that a procedure that involves a general anesthetic will be a bit more expensive.

Liposuction and Anesthesia

Usually, anesthetics are not something to worry about. Your doctor will choose the right approach for your surgery. Although make sure that you’ve declared any health issues before the surgery. For every liposuction procedure, the doctor will require a full set of tests beforehand, and then will choose an anesthetic that is suitable for your condition. The plastic surgery industry has evolved considerably in the last ten years due to an increase in demand, so we have more scientists that are constantly offering new ways to create a safe environment for any type of cosmetic surgery. With liposuction being one of the main procedures used in cosmetic surgeries, you are definitely in safe hands, no matter what type of anesthetic is used.