A series of physical examinations is recommended by the American Association of Plastic Surgeons to patients before undergoing a liposuction surgery. The objective of the examinations is to ensure that the patient is in good health and to find out any other hidden medical problems that might affect the surgery that is going to be done. It is strongly important that the patient discuss earnestly on the matter of his or her health, including any drug intake and/or herbal remedies that are presently being used. It is best to provide the physician a detailed medical history for both patient and physician to understand better of the specific risks that may occur.
liposuction surgery
When a patient has confirmed his or her decision to follow the procedures of the surgery, he or she should be given the available options, including traditional liposuction, tumescent liposuction – a procedure with lower blood loss and other complications – and also different selections for anesthesia. A trustworthy physician will notify the patient of the duration of the surgery, the amount of incisions that are going to be made, the estimated number and austerity of scarring, as well as the predictable duration of recovery time.
With a marker, the physician will mark the physical location that would be treated. The surgeon will make a small incision in the skin after anesthesia is executed and has taken effect. Then, a hollow steel tube is inserted and a vacuum is used to suction out the fatty tissue. Because there is much loss of fluid throughout the surgery, it is necessary that the patient have IV to replace the dissipated fluids and also to prevent dehydration.
The patient will receive anesthesia, either local or general ones to decrease pain and discomfort. If the physician operates with the tumescent technique, the fluid used to promote swelling of the fat pocket may be the only method of anesthesia. The most popular pain-reducing methods are intravenous sedation, epidural blockage and general anesthesia. The patient’s blood pressure, pulse and oxygen levels are to be monitored attentively for liposuction is a surgical procedure.
It is recommended by doctors that the patient have someone to drive him or her to the hospital or the doctor’s office on the day of the surgery. Any type of surgical procedure would need a hospital stay unless the surgery is conducted in an outpatient setting – for smaller liposuction surgeries. Therefore, it is best to pack a bag with the patient’s belongings that might be needed during the stay. Even if the patient is undergoing a surgery in an outpatient setting, the patient will probably be exhausted from the surgery to be driving home alone.
Some patients will be required to stay in the hospital for a night or two and some might be able to leave after a few hours, whichever way depending on the amount of fat removed and which part to the patient’s body that was being treated. The recovery time should be well conversed with the surgeon before the procedure to give the patient a realistic timeframe to be able to return back to his or her daily activities.
