TUMESCENT LIPOSCULPTURE
(Modern Liposuction)

Body sculpture by liposuction is literally a dream come true.  Localized accumulations of fat which are often inherited and frequently prove impossible to eliminate by exercise or dieting can now be removed permanently by Tumescent Liposculpture surgery.

What is Tumescent Liposculpture?
The concept of Tumescent Liposculpture is surprisingly simple.  It is a surgical technique that improves the body’s contour by removing excess fat from fatty deposits located between the skin and muscle. 

Tumescent Liposculpture involves the use of a small stainless steel tube, called a cannula (from the Latin word for reed, tube, cane).  The cannula is connected to a very powerful suction pump and inserted through small skin incisions.  The removal of fat is accomplished as the suction cannula creates tiny tunnels through the fatty layers.  After surgery these tiny tunnels collapse resulting in improved body contour. 

Areas Treated by Tumescent Liposculpture
The most frequently treated areas in women are the abdomen, hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, and beneath the chin.  In men, the most commonly treated areas include love handles, abdomen, breasts, and neck and chin area.

Permanence of Results
Fat cells that are removed by Tumescent Liposculpture do not grow back.  As long as the patient does not gain excessive amounts of weight, the new, more pleasing silhouette is permanent.  A woman who always tends to put weight on her thighs and knees, will find that after Tumescent Liposculpture, these areas are less likely than other areas to accumulate fat when she gains weight.  In fact, some patients have subsequently gained weight and the areas originally treated by Tumescent Liposculpture have maintained their new desirable silhouette, whereas areas not treated by Tumescent Liposculpture have been the sites of new deposits of fat.

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History of Liposuction
Liposuction was initially developed by Italian Gynecologist, Giorgio Fischer, in 1974.  Two French surgeons, Illouz and Fournier, then brought the technique to France where it was refined.  Finally, a cosmetic dermatologist brought liposuction to the United States in the 1980’s.  Plastic surgeons then made the technique very popular but several problems began to emerge.  Death associated with liposuction surgery and skin contour irregularity became problematic. 

Although liposuction is a relatively new form of cosmetic surgery, there have been several recent improvements in the technique.  One of the most significant improvements has been the introduction of the Tumescent Technique (Tumescent Liposculpture), developed by Dr. Jeffrey A. Klein, M.D. in 1985.  It permits liposuction totally by local anesthesia instead of general anesthesia.  This technique is now considered the SAFEST form of liposuction.  It can remove very large amounts of fat because there is virtually no blood loss.  Not only has the Tumescent Technique proven to be safer than the standard technique using general anesthesia but it also has proven to be less painful, has minimized post operative recovery time and has produced optimal cosmetic results.

The Tumescent Liposculpture Technique was first presented by Dr. Klein in 1986, at the Second World Congress of Liposuction Surgery in Philadelphia.  His article that first described the technique appeared in the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery in 1987.  Over the last 20 years the procedure has continued to be refined.  Dr. Bailey is one of approximately 400 surgeons from around the world that have been personally trained by Dr. Klein.

Tumescent Liposculpture Totally by Local Anesthesia
The word tumescent means swollen and firm.  The Tumescent Technique uses large volumes of a dilute solution of lidocaine, a local anesthetic, in combination with the vasoconstrictive drug epinephrine, which temporarily shrinks capillaries.

Local anesthesia used in the Tumescent Technique for liposculpture is so effective that patients no longer need intravenous sedatives, narcotic analgesics, or general anesthesia.  The Tumescent Technique is less painful and provides better results.  It also results in more rapid healing and recovery than traditional liposuction.

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Virtually No Blood Loss
As a result of the widespread capillary constriction caused by the epinephrine in the anesthetic solution, there is minimal bleeding during and after surgery.  This is a major improvement in the liposculpture technique compared to older methods that simply use general anesthesia.

Tumescent Technique is Less Painful than General Anesthesia
Some patients have had liposuction by another surgeon using general anesthesia prior to having liposculpture using the Tumescent Technique.  Virtually every one of these patients has said that liposculpture by the Tumescent Technique is a dramatically less painful experience than with general anesthesia.  With the Tumescent Technique infiltrating the local anesthesia is associated with minimal discomfort.  Once the area has been completely numbed, surgery in the area is essentially painless.  In addition, because the local anesthesia persists in the treated area for more than 12 hours, there is no pain immediately after surgery.

To view before and after images of Liposculpture patients, please click here.

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