In the past liposuction was only preformed while the patient was completely unconscious - under general anesthesia. Anesthesia is always a concern for medical staff and patients, because it is hard to determine the reaction, 100%.

With traditional liposuction, the surgeon would use a long, large, hollow cannula and suction the fat from the incisions. Now tumescent liposuction minimizes the risk by implementing cutting-edge technology, finer, smaller instruments, fewer incisions and a localized anesthetic. In addition, recovery time is nominal and patients are quickly transformed and back to normal activity within days after this cosmetic surgery.

What is Tumescent Liposuction?
Tumescent Liposuction surgery is mainly performed under local anesthesia (loss of sensation without loss of consciousness) by the tumescent, or wet, technique.  Tumescent refers to a technique that uses large volumes of a special diluted local anesthetic that is injected into the fat prior to the surgery, which causes the targeted areas to swell and become tumescent or firm for the surgeon to access the areas with more ease and while the patient is awake.  Local anesthesia is widely regarded as the safest form of anesthesia. Because local anesthesia is long-lasting and persists for many hours, there is a highly reduced need for narcotics or pain medications post-surgery.

Furthermore, tumescent is sometimes called the "wet" or "super-wet" technique.  Tumescent Liposuction involves infusing the area to be treated with sterile saline to help plump the fat cells and distinguish the fat layer from overlying soft tissue and underlying muscle and organs. The tumescent technique utilizes large volumes of natural saline (lightly salted water), containing specific amounts of a very dilute local anesthetic using lidocaine and epinephrine, which is dispersed into the fatty tissue. The injected area then becomes locally anesthetized -- "numbed." The epinephrine in the solution reduces bleeding and later bruising, which allows the removal of larger amounts of fat.  With the tumescent technique, liposuction patients need no general anesthesia which makes the procedure much safer than the traditional method.

What is Suction - Assisted Liposuction?
All liposuction is essentially suction-assisted. This means the removal of fat from the body through the assistance of some form of suction. With device assisted liposuction, fat cells are altered by the device then removed by a cannula. The cannula (like a straw) is inserted through a small incision. It is attached to a vacuum device. Dr. Serrao pushes and pulls it carefully through the fat layer, breaking up the fat cells and drawing them out of the body by suction.

What are the Benefits?
Tumescent  Liposuction has the lowest rate of complications documented in the medical literature and the greatest patient satisfaction. This type of liposuction is the safest and most precise technique in the field of liposuction, because of the combination utilizing the fine instruments and localized tumescent anesthetic. Local anesthesia used in the tumescent technique for liposuction is so effective that patients no longer need intravenous sedatives, narcotic analgesics or general anesthesia. The operable area is infiltrated with the tumescent solution and tiny cannulas are used to remove unwanted fat pockets. While the surgery is being performed, the patient remains awake and coherent enough to respond to prompts from Dr. Serrao.  In some cases, Dr. Serrao may ask the patient to stand to get a better perspective and see if the surgical result is symmetrical and smooth.

Because of the small incisions, instruments and cannulas, there is no need for stitches or drains thus reducing the risk of infection, concern of scarring and ensures a rapid recovery. Some other benefits of tumescent liposuction include minimal bleeding during and after surgery, which equals less bruising and swelling. This is a major improvement in the liposuction technique compared to the older methods that simply use general anesthesia.

Tumescent Liposuction has proven to be one of the safest ways to remove unwanted fat from various areas of the body, producing optimum, permanent results for a growing number of patients.  

Tumescent Liposuction and Traditional Liposuction Comparison

The consultation is of great importance and at the Aesthetic Clinique, we aim to answer all of your questions and get you fully prepared for the procedure during your one-on-one meeting with Dr. John Serrao and his cosmetic nurse, Larissa.

Your first liposuction consultation will last about an hour and is complimentary.  You will be expected to give comprehensive information regarding past medical history and your current medical status. You will be asked detailed questions about the result you hope to achieve and, following an examination, Dr Serrao will give you a full assessment. This will include the likely outcome of the procedure as well as an explanation of the risks and benefits of the treatment. The doctor may also suggest alternative or adjunctive therapies if required and will advise you about weight control, diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes that he feels you may need to make.

You may chose to schedule the procedure at the time of your initial consultation, or you may decide at a later time.  Whatever your decision, it will be our pleasure to assist you in any way that we can.

If you have been considering having liposuction surgery, call us for a consultation. Dr. John Serrao has provided Liposuction and Liposculpture procedures for clients not only in the Orlando area, but from around the world. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. His office based surgicenter is conveniently located in Orlando, Florida. Call us at 407-896-3772 or Toll Free at 866-834-3297 to schedule your consultation.