The tumescent technique was developed in 1985. It uses large volumes of a dilute solution of Lidocaine, a local anesthetic, in combination with the vasoconstrictive drug epinephrine, which shrinks capillaries. Local anesthesia used in the tumescent technique for liposuction and other surgeries, is so effective tat patients no longer need intravenous sedatives, narcotic analgesics, nor general anesthesia. This technique is now considered the safest form of many cosmetic surgeries since there is no blood loss.
Not only has the tumescent technique proven to be safer than the standard technique using general anesthesia, but it also has proven to be less painful, has minimized post operative recovery time, and produced optimal cosmetic results.
With the tumescent technique infiltrating the local anesthesia is associated wit minimal discomfort. Once the area has been completely numbed, surgery in the area is essentially painless. In addition, because the local anesthesia persist in the treated area for more than 12 hours, there is no pain immediately after surgery.
Eliminating general or intravenous anesthesia has made cosmetic procedures safer and easier for the patient as the after-effects of anesthesia are also eliminated. The surgical fees are typically lower than those done under general anesthesia, as there are no anesthesia fees. Also, this method results in markedly reduced or no bleeding. There are no confirmed cases of any patient loss using this method.
