Plastic surgery is definitively a medical procedure, but there is also an artistic element to it. This brings us to the subject of tumescent abdominoplasty.

Tumescent Abdominoplasty

One of the most popular methods of liposuction is tumescent abdominoplasty. It is a cosmetic surgical procedure commonly performed to remove excess fat deposits in localized areas permanently, which are resistant to exercise and traditional diet programs. Tumescent Abdominoplasty is also recommended for patients suffering from morbid obesity.

Tumescent abdominoplasty involves the use of advanced techniques to guarantee permanent results by filling and swelling the fatty areas to be removed, thus the name tumescent, literally meaning "to swell". Tumescent abdominoplasty is performed by filling large volumes of fatty areas with a special solution before the surgical procedure. The solution used by surgeons has the effect of a local anesthetic facilitating the surgery and preventing the use of heavy intravenous sedation or general anesthesia that might be risky for some persons. Additionally, the solution makes adrenalin that constricts the blood vessels, reducing bleeding to negligible amounts in comparison with other liposuction methods.

By means of small tubes called cannulas, the patient is connected to a suction syringe or device that extracts the fat in a safe manner that also facilitates a quick recovery. Fatty deposits removed in very specific areas allow the surgeon to sculpt artistically any body into a new shape with the aid of delicate instruments.

There is minimal pain involved in tumescent abdominoplasty. Most clinics use natural therapies to relieve it such as listening to sedative music or friendly talking during the application of the solution which is the time when some pain may occur. The removing and sculpting procedure on fatty deposits does not cause pain by in and of itself.

Patients who undergo this cosmetic surgery often refer to the procedure as comparable to a deep massage session. Because the procedure is performed under local anesthesia, a patient can cooperate with the surgeon by changing position if necessary to optimize the results. Compared to traditional invasive liposuction, this is a drastic improvement.

The anesthetic effect of the solution applied before the procedure generally lasts for nearly 24 hours after which patients may experience light soreness that usually disappears alone after 1 or 2 weeks. From all the abdominoplasty techniques, including dry technique, wet technique, Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction (UAL), Power Assisted Techniques (PAL), etc, Tumescent Abdominoplasty is safest method of liposuction available today.

If you are considering a procedure to address hard to get at areas of fat, tumescent abdominoplasty may be a perfect option. Make sure to discuss the applicability of the procedure to your situation with your plastic surgeon.