Liposuction under local anaesthesia
Liposuction under local anaesthesia is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that involves removing stubborn pockets of fat from targeted areas of the body. Unlike traditional liposuction performed under general anaesthesia, local anaesthesia allows patients to remain awake and conscious throughout the procedure.
A local anaesthetic is injected into the treatment area, numbing the region and making the surgery virtually painless. Liposuction under local anaesthesia offers several advantages, including reduced risks, faster recovery times, and the ability to communicate with the surgeon during the surgery for more precise results. This approach is particularly suitable for patients seeking targeted fat removal with minimal downtime, allowing them to achieve their desired body contours with confidence.
Liposuction is one of the most common cosmetic surgery procedures done in the world and Bangalore today. It is a body-shaping procedure, where stubborn fat is sucked out through small holes using metal cannulas. Traditionally, Liposuction surgery is done under general anaesthesia. At the Venkat Center Bangalore, our speciality is performing liposuction under local anesthesia. Oftentimes patients have questions regarding this technique. In this blog, we set out to answer these queries:
What is general anaesthesia?
General anaesthesia refers to the technique of making a patient unconscious to perform a surgery. In other words, the whole body is anaesthetised and the patient isn’t aware of anything happening during the surgery. To achieve this, the patient is put to sleep and his/ her muscles are relaxed. A machine is used to control the patient’s respiration. The anaesthetist controls the body fluids. After surgery, the patient is brought out of anaesthesia and then monitored till they are normal.
What is local anaesthesia?
Local anaesthesia is the technique of only giving anaesthesia to one part of the body where the surgery is being done. Because of this, the patient is conscious and awake during the procedure. Only the area where the anaesthesia is given becomes numb. Traditionally local anaesthesia could only be given for small areas such as removing a small swelling. However, the advent of a newer technique called tumescent local anaesthesia, allows this to be given for a large area. This is what makes liposuction under local anaesthesia possible.
What are the advantages of local anaesthesia?
There are many benefits to being operated by local anaesthesia.
- It is safer – As you are awake, your respiration, blood circulation etc. does not need to be controlled by any external device. This makes the procedure very safe.
- There are fewer complications – The risk of several side effects such as blood clots, respiratory infections, and fluid imbalance is lower. Also because your muscles aren’t anaesthetised, the risk of internal damage caused during abdomen liposuction is very low. Your muscles act as a barrier to protect your internal organs.
- The result is better – During the surgery, you can stand up in the middle of the surgery. You can be reassessed and then made to lie down and the surgery continues. This can improve your result as your body looks different when you are lying down and standing up
- It is very comfortable – You don’t have to be on an empty stomach before surgery. You can walk out of the operating room without the need for a stretcher.
- It has a faster recovery- There is no need for admission after surgery. You are back to work within two days. There is minimal pain after surgery as the anaesthesia works for a long time.
Are there any disadvantages of local anaesthesia?
The only limitation of local anaesthesia is that there is a limit to how much anaesthetic can be given in one session. This means that you cannot do liposuction for the whole body in one session. You would have to be divided into multiple sessions etc., one for chest, one for abdomen etc. Under normal circumstances, this is not a problem for most patients, since they are looking for liposuction for a specific area like double chin, tummy etc. However, people who regard liposuction as a weight loss surgery might not be the best candidates, as liposuction is a body-shaping surgery.
Is it painful?
You might be wondering if it would be painful and if general anaesthesia would be more comfortable. Tumescent local anaesthesia is a remarkably pain-free procedure. While the anaesthesia is being administered, you feel a sensation of the area swelling up. Then once the anaesthesia works you do not feel any pain while the fat is being removed.
Can the liposuction be done properly under local anaesthesia?
You might be wondering if the quality of liposuction might be compromised under local anaesthesia. The procedure of liposuction does not change, whether done under local or general anaesthesia. It is done in the same manner. So you can expect the same results after the procedure if done under local or general anaesthesia.
Why is liposuction under local anesthesia not so popular?
This technique of giving local anaesthesia in this way is a very specialised one and needs training. Many surgeons are trained to perform liposuction with traditional general anaesthesia and hence might not be well-versed in this local anaesthesia technique. This technique was first described by Dr. Jeffrey Klein of the USA, under whom we have trained. We have performed liposuction with the aid of local anaesthesia for more than 1000 patients, with a very high satisfaction rate.
Can I also do fat grafting under local anaesthesia?
Many patients want to use the fat removed during liposuction to augment other parts of the body. The most common areas for this are the breasts and buttocks. Traditionally these areas were augmented using implants. However fat grafting is a newer technique that has revolutionised this field. And since you are anyway undergoing liposuction, why throw away that fat? Why not use it?
This fat grafting can also be done under local anaesthesia. We have successfully performed this in multiple patients.
We hope this article opened your eyes to the possibility of liposuction under local anaesthesia. When done in the right hands, it can produce great results, in a comfortable manner with a high degree of safety.
Benefits of undergoing Liposuction using Local Anesthesia (Is it Safe?)
Check out videos showing the successful results of liposuction surgery done in Venkat Center, Bangalore.
You can consult us by visiting our clinic or doing a video consultation with our expert doctors.
