Liposuction

How is Liposuction performed?

To perform liposuction, one or more small incisions are made near the area to be suctioned. Whenever possible, incisions are placed within the natural folds or contour lines of the skin so that they are inconspicuous. The surgeon then places a slim, hollow tube called a cannula through the incision so that its tip penetrates the underlying fat. After the cannula is connected by flexible tubing to suction pump, the surgeon moves the cannula back and forth through the fat, which is vacuumed into the tube.

Several variations to the basic liposuction technique have been introduced. The fat removal technique that best meets your needs depends on a number of individual factors that your surgeon will discuss with you.

  • Your surgeon may use the tumescent technique, in which the fat is pre-injected with saltwater solution containing small amounts of adrenaline and sometimes local anesthetic.

  • Your surgeon may also use ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty or UAL, a two-step technique that uses the energy from sound waves to liquefy the fat before it is suctioned.

  • The type of instrumentation used may also vary. For some areas, a hand-held syringe may be used to provide the vacuum instead of a suction pump.

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