Liposuction is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures. It is generally very safe, has a fast recovery with minimal downtime and early return to work. However everything said and done, every surgical procedure can have its problems, and its own unique set of complications. Here are some of the problems unique to liposuctions and how to prevent them
- general anesthesia risks – anesthesia risks are there, though very rare. There are small chances of risk with general, spinal or even epidural anesthesia. The simple trick is to have an experienced anesthetist. I consider local anesthesia as the riskiest of the lot, unless supervised by an anesthetist
- infection
- seroma and hematoma – these are problems that can occur if the pressure garment that is worn after the surgery is not tight fit or the patient is not compliant with the treatment
- paresthesia – there are occasional areas on the body where there can be sensory disturbances, however these would generally recover on their own
- urinary problems - these can occur if too much of adrenaline is given in the tumescent solution, causing vasoconstriction of the kidneys and the reduced urine formation.
- water in the lungs – if too much of tumescent solution is given or if the patients in hemodynamicaly compromised, this can occur and can be very dangerous. The solution is to be very careful with the amount of fluid that is infiltrated.
- bleeding – rare today unless a dry liposuction is done, or if there is a bleeding disorder
- cellulite and unevenness – this can occur if uneven liposuction has been done. It is more common on the thighs and buttocks because of the tougher fat structure in these regions.