Esthetic Surgery : Liposuction
History
For a long time man has dreamed of being able to remove surplus fat using a suction method. Many have tried to do it for more than half a century without success, for in their method of operation, they overlooked one essential procedure which was that of loosening up the fat lobules so that they’d be ready to suctioned out. A friend and colleague from France, Dr Gérard Illouz, proposed a solution in the early 1980’s.
Technique
A cannula 2 or 3 mm in diameter is inserted into a 3 to 4 mm incision (twice as small as a pencil) and directed towards the area to be suctioned. The surgeon, by exercising a back and forth movement while the cannula is subjected to a negative suction pressure (vacuum), breaks down the partitions surrounding the fat lobules, and thus loosens them up. The fat is then easily suctioned out.
Indications
Liposuction is not intended to make obese people loose weight; they can get rid of their surplus fat by following a proper diet. Liposuction is intended to correct precise and localized deformities once an ideal weight has been reached. These deforming fatty tissues do not respond well to dieting and have no connection with the loss of weight but result from a certain hereditary factor. Suctionable deformities and areas are:
> Double chins
> Globular (protuding) abdomens
> Hips
> Saddlebags
> Lower buttocks folds or rolls
> Internal face of thighs
> Anterior face of thighs
> Anterior and internal face of knees
> Calves
> Ankles
Preoperative care
Return to ideal weight. Refrain from taking aspirin during the 3 weeks preceeding the operation in order to avoid bruises.
Postoperative care
Recovery is generally rapid. The adhesive elastic dressings (Hypafix) are remove two weeks later (either under the shower or in a water filled bathtub), and support panty hose is then worn for a one month period. An early return to walking reduces and elimitates the risk of phlebitis.
Conclusion
Liposuction is a wonderful tool to treat selective deformities (localized lipodystrophies) but obese people must resist the temptation of turning to liposuction as a way to loose weight.
