eMedicine Specialties > Plastic Surgery > Body Contouring

Liposuction, Thigh and Knee: Workup

Author: John A Grossman, MD, Emeritus Chairman, Instructor, Departments of Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery, University of Colorado Rose Medical Center
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Sep 10, 2008

Workup

Laboratory Studies

  • Every patient must undergo an appropriate complete medical history and physical examination. A perfunctory examination and limited laboratory studies for a young and apparently healthy patient are inappropriate. Laboratory tests should include the following:
  • CBC
  • Urinalysis
  • Electrolytes (if patient is taking diuretics)
  • Chest radiograph (when none has been performed for more than 1 year or if patient has history of cigarette smoking)
  • Electrocardiogram (for men older than 40 years and women older than 50 years, unless there is a history of hypertension, stroke, arrhythmias, diabetes, cigarette smoking)
  • Pregnancy test in women of childbearing age
  • HIV and hepatitis testing
  • Accurate weight (and date of that weight) as well as measurements of the areas to be liposuctioned (If the patient's personal physician or an outside physician other than the surgeon is performing the physical examination, record weight and measurements at the surgeon's office. Patients are notorious for providing inaccurate reports of their weight and dimension measurements.)

Imaging Studies

  • Other than a routine chest radiograph where indicated by age, smoking history, or history of prior disease, no imaging studies are necessary in the preoperative liposuction patient. Ultrasound examinations of the fat layer before and after suctioning are interesting but expensive and unnecessary.

Histologic Findings

Histologic findings are not relevant, as surgeons are not working with tissue pathology; however, research studies pertaining to histologic changes following liposuction have been performed. Carpaneda in 1996 reported that "Histologic studies [postliposuction] disclosed extensive amounts of dead adipocytes and free fat within the aspirated area. The pockets left behind were filled with serum hemorrhagic material and evolved to the healing process. Collagen synthesis increased initially then followed by gradual decrease and a remodeling process. Our findings suggest that liposuction techniques preserve some vessels and nerves, but the final resolution may take several months or years, depending on the amount of tissue damage."6

More on Liposuction, Thigh and Knee

Overview: Liposuction, Thigh and Knee
Workup: Liposuction, Thigh and Knee
Treatment: Liposuction, Thigh and Knee
Follow-up: Liposuction, Thigh and Knee
Multimedia: Liposuction, Thigh and Knee
References
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References

  1. Illouz YG. Body contouring by lipolysis: a 5-year experience with over 3000 cases. Plast Reconstr Surg. Nov 1983;72(5):591-7. [Medline].

  2. Courtiss EH. Suction lipectomy: a retrospective analysis of 100 patients. Plast Reconstr Surg. May 1984;73(5):780-96. [Medline].

  3. Grazer FM, de Jong RH. Fatal outcomes from liposuction: census survey of cosmetic surgeons. Plast Reconstr Surg. Jan 2000;105(1):436-46; discussion 447-8. [Medline].

  4. Klein J. The tumescent technique for liposuction surgery. Am J Cosmetic Surg. 1987;4:263.

  5. Fodor PB. Defining wetting solutions in lipoplasty. Plast Reconstr Surg. Apr 1999;103(5):1519-20. [Medline].

  6. Carpaneda CA. Postliposuction histologic alterations of adipose tissue. Aesthetic Plast Surg. May-Jun 1996;20(3):207-11. [Medline].

  7. Klein JA. Tumescent technique for local anesthesia improves safety in large-volume liposuction. Plast Reconstr Surg. Nov 1993;92(6):1085-98; discussion 1099-100. [Medline].

  8. Albin R, de Campo T. Large-volume liposuction in 181 patients. Aesthetic Plast Surg. Jan-Feb 1999;23(1):5-15. [Medline].

  9. Bradbury E. The psychology of aesthetic plastic surgery. Aesthetic Plast Surg. Summer 1994;18(3):301-5. [Medline].

  10. Cardenas-Camarena L, Tobar-Losada A, Lacouture AM. Large-volume circumferential liposuction with tumescent technique: a sure and viable procedure. Plast Reconstr Surg. Nov 1999;104(6):1887-99. [Medline].

  11. Cárdenas-Camarena L, González LE. Large-volume liposuction and extensive abdominoplasty: a feasible alternative for improving body shape. Plast Reconstr Surg. Oct 1998;102(5):1698-707. [Medline].

  12. Daane SP, Rockwell WB. Analysis of methods for reporting severe and mortal lipoplasty complications. Aesthetic Plast Surg. Sep-Oct 1999;23(5):303-6. [Medline].

  13. Grazer FM. Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery, University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine, Irvine, California. Atlas of Suction Assisted Lipectomy in Body Contouring. 1992;1-65.

  14. Grazer FM. Atlas of Suction Assisted Lipectomy in Body Contouring. 1992.

  15. Grazer FM. Suction-assisted lipectomy, suction lipectomy, lipolysis, and lipexeresis. Plast Reconstr Surg. Nov 1983;72(5):620-3. [Medline].

  16. Hunstad, JP. Liposuction For Obesity. Operative Techniques In Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 1996;124.

  17. Pitman G. Tumescent liposuction: operative technique. Operative Techniques in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 1996;3(2):88.

  18. Pitman GH. Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery (plastic), Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, New York University School of Medicine. Liposuction and aesthetic surgery. 1993;415.

  19. Troilius C. Ten year evolution of liposuction. Aesthetic Plast Surg. May-Jun 1996;20(3):201-6. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

liposuction, lipo, thigh liposuction, knee liposuction, liposuction knee, liposuction thigh, liposuction thighs, tumescent liposuction, superwet liposuction, suction-assisted lipolysis, suction-assisted lipectomy, lipolysis, lipexeresis, fat suctioning, fat sucking, SAL, suction-assisted lipoplasty, lipoplasty, after liposuction, before liposuction

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

John A Grossman, MD, Emeritus Chairman, Instructor, Departments of Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery, University of Colorado Rose Medical Center
John A Grossman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Burn Association, American Medical Association, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Colorado Medical Society, Lipoplasty Society of North America, and Pan-Pacific Surgical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Gregory Caputy, MD, PhD, Chief, Department of Plastic Surgery, Aesthetica Plastic and Laser Surgery Center of Honolulu
Gregory Caputy, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Association, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Canadian Medical Association, Hawaii Medical Association, International College of Surgeons, International College of Surgeons US Section, Pan-Pacific Surgical Association, and Wound Healing Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Alan Matarasso, MD, FACS, PC, Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Immed Past President of New York Regional Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Alan Matarasso, MD, FACS, PC is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Plastic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, International College of Surgeons US Section, New York Academy of Medicine, New York County Medical Society, Pan American Medical Association, and Pan-Pacific Surgical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Nicolas (Nick) G Slenkovich, MD, Practice Director, Colorado Plastic Surgery Center at Swedish Medical Center
Nicolas (Nick) G Slenkovich, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Medical Association, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and Colorado Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Al Aly, MD, FACS, Consulting Surgeon, Iowa City Plastic Surgery
Disclosure: Ethicon  Consulting fee Consulting; QMP Royalty Book royalty; Insorb Stapler Consulting fee Consulting; Insorb Stapler Ownership interest None; Medicis Intellectual property rights None

 
 
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