The Safety of Large-Amount Liposuction: A Retrospective Analysis of 28 Cases

Hatan Mortada; Saud A Alshenaifi; Hussain A Samawi; Mohanad M Marzoug; Taghreed Alhumsi; Bander Alaithan

doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_59_22

The Safety of Large-Amount Liposuction: A Retrospective Analysis of 28 Cases

J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2023 Jul-Sep;16(3):227-231. doi: 10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_59_22.

Authors

Hatan Mortada^{1

2}, Saud A Alshenaifi³, Hussain A Samawi⁴, Mohanad M Marzoug⁴, Taghreed Alhumsi⁵, Bander Alaithan⁶

Affiliations

¹ Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Plastic Surgery & Burn Unit, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
³ College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Anesthesia, The Clinics Medical Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Plastic Surgery Division, Surgery Department, King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Plastic Surgery Division, Surgery Department, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Aim: Our study aims to assess the safety of large amounts of liposuction in a new light.

Materials and methods: This is a retrospective review of patients who underwent large-volume liposuction from August 2020 to April 2021. Patient demographics, liposuction areas, the amount of infiltrate and aspirate, the surface area of liposuction areas, anesthesia duration, pain score after surgery, preoperative and 4-h postoperative hemoglobin, and basic metabolic panel (sodium, potassium, creatinine, urea) were measured.

Results: Out of the 28 patients, 26 (92.85%) were females. The mean age was 37.1 years old. The mean preoperative hemoglobin was 13.73 g/dL. The average anesthesia time was 220.39 min. The average amount of liposuction infiltrated was 7.55 L, and the average amount of liposuction aspirate was 6.83 L. The mean hemoglobin 4 h postoperatively was 13.7 g/dL.

Conclusions: With proper patient selection and a comprehensive physical exam with preoperative blood workup performed in an accredited facility with a highly experienced plastic surgeon and anesthesiologist, mega liposuction can be safely performed as a day surgery procedure.

Keywords: Body contouring; Large-volume liposuction is safe with proper patient selection, and strict attention to the standard guidelines can ensure a satisfactory outcome and reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality; esthetic surgery; large-volume liposuction; lipoplasty; liposuction.