| Dry
Method
The oldest form of liposuction, the Dry Method was imported to the U.S.
from Europe in the early 1980s. Unlike the Wet Method of liposuction,
no fluids are pumped into the tissues before removing the fat. While
the Wet Method may be performed with local anesthetic, the Dry Method
usually required a general anesthetic due to increased pain. The Dry
Method may result in more bleeding into the suctioned areas and occasionally
required a blood transfusion when large volumes were removed.
Fluid Injection or Wet Method
The second oldest liposuction technique, the Fluid Injection method
pumps a salt solution containing adrenaline or ephinephrine (to restrict
bleeding) and lidocaine (a numbing medication) into the tissues before
suctioning the target fat. This method has surpassed the Dry Method
as it helps fat be removed more easily, reduces bleeding and blood loss,
provides some anesthesia during surgery and possibly results in enhanced
patient mobility. The Fluid Injection method differs from the later
Tumescent (Klein) Method in that the target fat is not tumesced (ballooned
or swollen with fluid).
Tumescent Liposuction
Tumescent, meaning swollen or ballooned, refers to the enlarged appearance
of the tissues due to a large volume of fluid pumped into the target
fat before and during the removal procedure. Tumescent Liposuction is
also known as the Klein Method, after the California dermatologic surgeon
who invented it in the 1980s. The tumescent fluid (also known as Klein
Solution) contains sterile dilute salt water, adrenaline (to reduce
bleeding), lidocaine (a numbing medication) and bicarbonate (to reduce
the acidity of the IV to reduce discomfort). Recently, surgeons have
also used a small amount of triamcinolone, a hydrocortisone anti-inflammatory
medication that reduces post-operative soreness. Tumescent Liposuction
is considered to be one of the safest and most effective form of liposuction,
as it enables the surgical instruments to pass through the skin and
tissue with less pain, trauma and bleeding.
Super Wet
This technique is similar to the Wet Technique except that greater amounts
of fluid are used. Usually, the surgeon injects fluid equal to the amount
of fat to be removed.
Ultrasound Assisted Lipoplasty
("UAL")
This form of liposuction uses an ultrasound generator that vibrates
the tip of the cannula to 'shake and break' the fat cells. As fat and
oil are released into the surrounding area, the cannula sucks it up
and removes it from the area. UAL has been shown to improve the ease
and effectiveness of liposuction in fibrous areas of the body such as
the upper back or the enlarged male breast. Unfortunately, the heat
at the tip of the cannula can damage nerves, vessels and organs if not
properly controlled. To date UAL has been performed successfully on
several thousand people worldwide, however, the long-term effects of
ultrasound energy are not yet known. |
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