This fact sheet was developed under the aegis of the French Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (SOF.CPRE) as an addition to your initial consultation, to try to answer all the questions you can ask yourself if you plan to use liposuction. The purpose of this document is to provide you with all the necessary and essential elements of information to help you make your decision with full knowledge of the facts. Also you is it advisable to read with the greatest attention.
• DEFINITION OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES
Liposuction can dramatically and permanently remove localized fat overload. These localized fat deposits do not disappear, in general, despite a diet or exercise. By cons, liposuction is not a weight loss method and its purpose is not to control the weight of the patient or the patient: and liposuction performed correctly will not make the economy improved healthy living. Liposuction is not the treatment of obesity.
The principle of liposuction (developed from 1977 by Yves-Gerard Illouz) is to introduce, from very small incisions, foam nozzles, rounded tip, blunt, perforated at their ends with several holes. These cannulas will be connected to a closed circuit in which a negative pressure is created. Thus the smooth, atraumatic aspiration of excess fat cells will be possible. To the extent that these fat cells do not have the ability to re-expand, there will be no recurrence of this overpopulation adipocytes. In practice, liposuction can be applied to a large number of body area: "saddlebags" of course, but also the hips, abdomen, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, arms . Technical improvements have also helped to expand its focus on the face and neck (double chin, oval face).
Recent advances, particularly in the field of superficial liposuction, through the use of very fine cannulas are the overlying skin in the treated area no longer has to suffer from liposuction: on the contrary, the appearance of the skin can be improved by skin retraction that generates a superficial liposuction performed correctly.
However, keep in mind that liposuction, despite its extreme commonplace in recent years, should always be considered a true surgical procedure that must be performed by a competent and qualified plastic surgeon, trained specifically for this type technical and working in a surgical context
• BEFORE THE OPERATION
A preoperative assessment is carried out according to regulations.
The anesthesiologist will be seen in consultation at least 48 hours before surgery. No medication containing aspirin should be taken within 10 days before surgery. Depending on the type of anesthesia, you may be asked to remain fasting (nothing to eat or drink) 6 hours before surgery.
• TYPE OF ANESTHESIA AND CONDITIONS OF HOSPITAL
Type of anesthesia:
Liposuction can be performed, depending on the case and the importance of the areas to be treated, either under local anesthesia or under local anesthesia depth by tranquilizers administered intravenously (anesthesia "vigil") or under general anesthesia, possibly under regional anesthesia (epidural or spinal anesthesia).
The choice between these techniques is the result of a discussion between you, the surgeon and the anesthetist.
Terms of admission:
The length of stay depends on the amount of fat removed. It may be short, on the order of several hours for smaller liposuction (when we used a local anesthetic). It will be 1 or 2 days for larger liposuction (under general anesthesia).
• INTERVENTION
Each surgeon adopts a technique of its own and it adapts to each case to obtain the best results. However, it may hold common basic principles:
The incisions are short (of the order of 3 or 4 mm) and discrete, because most often hidden in a natural fold. The fat is suctioned using foam nozzles, producing a regular network of tunnels that meet the vessels and nerves: thus treats the deep fat and surface fat.
The amount of fat extracted will of course be adapted to the quality of the overlying skin is one of determining the quality of the outcome factors.
A modeling dressing is then made with elastic bands, or one puts up a panty or a rubber sheath.
The duration of the procedure depends on the amount of fat to be extracted and the number of locations to be treated. It can vary from 20 minutes to 3 hours (average 1-2 hours).