Liposuction (Lipoplasty)
The fat removal (liposuction)
is an operative technique to eliminate the fat
tissue beneath the skin. Liposuction has been
worked out in the seventies. The essence of the
operation: the plastic surgeon performs a short,
several mm incision and through that leads a special
metal canul under the skin and sucks the fat layer
out by vacuuming. It is important to emphasise
that this technique is not suitable for a weight
loss cure, its result can be measured in centimetres
and not in kilogram’s. The constitutionally originated,
local fat deposits can be eliminated with this
intervention. In case of women on the abdomen,
hips, thighs, bottom, perhaps on knees, in case
of men the fat deposit the "floating tyre"
can be eliminated.
Only some know that after birth
the number of our fat cells isn’t already changed
much. So the operation prevents with the removal
of the adipose cells that fat is deposited in
the drawn off region or regions. It means that
the result is final. The operation can be executed
with local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia.
Prior to that, laboratory analysis and ECG are
necessary. Within one occasion with local anaesthesia
one or maximum two not too large body regions
can be evacuated. With general anaesthesia more
fat tissue areas (max. 3 - 4) can be eliminated,
however the removed quantity should be limited.
How long does the operation
take and the regeneration afterwards?
The exact operative time (the
liposcuction itself) of the areas is 15 - 20 minutes.
Injection shots on the area (in case of the local
anaesthesia) washing off the skin disinfectant,
turning etc. takes a few more minutes. Following
the anaesthesia the patient can go home, after
a few hours of resting. It is advisable to travel
by car but the patient isn’t yet allowed to drive
by herself. Following general anaesthesia a one
- day (including the night) inspection is needed,
then the next morning generally the patient can
leave, but driving a car is not authorized.
Right after the intervention
a compression dress band is pulled on to the patient,
which helps the skin to be taped down and even
with this, speeding the remedy.
This therapeutic dress can be
purchased in our clinic before the operation (the
proper size is very important). At average it
has to be worn for 1 - 1,5 months, for two weeks
day and night, then for further two - four weeks
only at daytime. The pressing trouser or the abdomen
belt should not be taken off at all for four days.
At the fifth day shower can be taken and it can
be removed for that time. After 2 - 3 days of
rest at home, light physical work, intellectual
work can be done together with driving a car.
It is not suggested to do heavy physical work,
intensive sport activities, gymnastic, dance etc.
for one month after the operation. Later on the
earlier lifestyle can be continued in all aspects
and the patient doesn’t have to count of any harmful
effect.
What kind of unpleasant concomitants
go with the liposuction?
Pain: in local
anaesthesia the operation preceded anaesthesia
causes slight unpleasantness, but afterwards at
most could only be small sensitivity in some places.
Naturally, there is no pain in general anaesthesia,
but following the operation in both cases for
several days are present of blunt, muscle aches
or burning pains. Simple painkillers are adequate.
Bruising, purple skin discolouring:
on the evacuated area or below, appears with various
intensity. After a strong blow the skin similarly
becomes purple. Normally, it is absorbed within
2 - 3 weeks without any trace.
Swelling: Right after
the liposuction the skin slackens, becomes strangely
wrinkled and after a few hours more or less tissue
fluid collects on the area, which unusually can
reach the quantity of the drawn off fat and is
absorbed in two weeks time. When the pressing
dress can be taken off, these signs are already
passed.
Operative scar: at each
region one tiny 4 - 5 mm long incision is necessary
and those traces, a similarly short, thin scar
will remain constantly. These are hardly noticeable
as the surgeon tries to hide them.
What kind of complications
can arise because of the liposuction?
- Haematoma: the significant haematoma
of the operative area is very rare (1 - 2 %)
less haematoma could be treated with icing,
the sucked evacuated area can feel harder for
several months.
- Inflammation: a serious inflammation
is very rare (in per thousand probability)
- Chronic scar development, wound recovery
disturbance: the operative scars are very
short, disturbance could only occur, to patients
that are susceptive to the development of keloid.
- Skin sensation problems, numbness, insensibility:
sensation disturbance or insensibility happens
in 3 - 4 %, the full regeneration could extend
to one year.
- Skin unevenness, skin slackness:
after the liposuction the treated skin area
will not be tighter, thus the intervention is
only reasonable to implement for those, where
due to the skin flexibility full withdrawal
is anticipated. In other cases an auxiliary
operation is recommended to lift the skin on
certain regions. The existing skin unevenness
and the orange-skin will not cease in most cases
after the liposuction.
- Steady discolouring on the skin:
very infrequent to those patients, who had a
liposuction operation before on the evacuated
area, and through a haematoma caused discolouring
doesn’t disappear even after several months.
Even in these cases the discolouring is very
pale and generally will cease completely after
a further few months.
Useful advises following the liposuction:
- Icing: on the bruised area daily
5 - 7 occasions for 15 - 20 minutes, a frozen
milk bag is recommended. (Important: prior the
use, crumble the ice in the milk bag together
with your hands, than screw it in a pillow cover
or towel)
- On lower limb (leg, ankle) appeared swellings:
the pressing trouser has to be taken off than
lay on the back, lift the leg up high (e.g.
lean against the wall) for 20 - 25 minutes,
than get the trouser on again.
- Showering: For 20 - 25 minutes the
pressing trouser can be taken off, however the
glue tape should be left on.
- Skin unevenness: special vacuum massaging
devices can be applied, could start after several
weeks of the liposuction.
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