Liposuction Day of Surgery Beverly Hills | Los Angeles

Pre-Operative Marking

Prior to your surgery, you will have the opportunity to speak with Dr Motykie about any part of your surgical procedure and/or recovery process. You will be asked to change into a surgical gown and Dr Motykie will place detailed surgical markings on the specific areas of your body that will be having liposuction. All markings for liposuction are performed in the standing position to ensure properly placed markings and access point locations (1mm incisions for access of the liposuction cannulas). You may want to bring a pair of your own swimwear or underwear to help keep your incisions in well hidden locations for you personally. Lastly, wear loose fitting clothing the day of your surgery that is easy to get in and out of such as sweat pants and a shirt that zippers in the front.

Anesthesia and Operating Facility

For almost all body contouring techniques you will most likely receive general anesthesia (you are asleep) for your own personal comfort, safety and surgical ease. It is my opinion that the safest and most effective way to perform liposuction is under general anesthesia. Performing the procedure under local (awake) anesthesia may require the injection of more tumescent solution in order to adequately numb the operating site. This can lead to less predictability of the final results since the injected fluid can obscure the exact borders of the areas being liposuctioned. In addition, blending between the zones of liposuction needs to be done smoothly, gently and unobstructed by pain or movement. Since you may feel discomfort outside the local areas of tumescent infiltration when only local anesthesia is used (awake tumescent method) blending can become difficult which can jeopardize the final contouring results. Remember, lumpy liposuction after local (awake) anesthesia is like peanut butter and jelly; although they do not need each other to exist, they often come together.

Dr. Motykie uses only Board Certified Anesthesiologists to administer anesthesia and monitor your safety during your surgery. You may be given medication before reaching the operating room so you will feel relaxed before surgery. The surgery takes approximately 1-4 hours to perform depending on the complexity and amount of liposuction being performed. Every surgery that I perform is done in a fully accredited, state of the art (AAAASF) surgical facility where your safety, comfort and privacy are of the utmost importance. Deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) precautions are taken with every patient and include a minimum of anti-embolic stockings and sequential compression devices (SCDs) on the lower extremities during the entire length of your procedure.

Surgical Procedure

Liposuction removes excess fat from targeted areas of the body utilizing small instruments called cannulas that are attached to a suction machine. The actual liposuction technique allows for the removal of fat while preserving vessels and nerves leaving a honeycomb-like network of vital structures in place after the procedure. The main idea behind liposuction is the removal of fat via effective vacuum suctioning, tunnelization with blunt cannulas and retraction of the skin. The technique has undergone many refinements over a relatively very short period of time including the addition of power assisted, ultrasound assisted and laser assisted procedures. These techniques are only “assisted” by modern technology because at the end of the procedure the eventual removal of fat, whether it has been lasered, melted or frozen, is dependent upon traditional liposuction performed by a plastic surgeon.

At the beginning of your procedure the access points for the liposuction cannulas are created by making tiny stab incisions placed in inconspicuous areas. For the first 15-30 minutes, tumescent solution containing medicine that provides numbness and helps prevent bleeding during the surgery is injected into the areas targeted for liposuction. When properly infiltrated before surgery, the tumescent solution aids in loosening the fatty tissue, which allows for more pure fat removal and significantly less bleeding during surgery and less bruising after the surgery. Once the fluid is injected and allowed to take effect, a small cannula connected to a vacuum is inserted into the deep layer of fatty tissue and the fat is drawn through the tube into a collection system. Dr Motykie keeps the liposuction cannula in the deep layer of fat and stays away from the superficial fat in order to avoid the development of complications such as rippling and dents after the procedure. One cannot overemphasize the importance of staying in this deep layer of fat, which is where the surgeon belongs, in order to prevent the development of lumps and bumps after the surgery. Dr Motykie also prefers to “crisscross” the passes of the cannula in order to ensure a smooth, natural result. Once the procedure is completed, patients are fitted into a compression garment in order to help decrease swelling and bruising after the procedure.

Recovery Room

After surgery you will be brought to the recovery area where you will be allowed to rest and completely recover from anesthesia. Nurses will be on staff by your bedside to make sure you are recovering properly as well as being able to provide you with pain medications and small amounts of water and/or ice chips while you are becoming more awake and alert. After you have fully recovered from anesthesia, you may be released to home with a responsible adult although we often encourage our liposuction patients to stay overnight in an outpatient recovery retreat where there are nurses on staff 24hrs/day to assist you with post-operative care and medications.

The most comfortable recovery position after surgery is a reclining chair with your knees in a slightly flexed position. Over the first night you will most likely find yourself having to use the bathroom frequently. This is normal and is due to the intravenous fluids you received during your surgical procedure. Leave all garments intact until the next morning when you will return to Dr Motykie’s office to have your dressings changed and receive further instruction for the rest of the week. The night following your surgery, you may experience some pain and discomfort that can be controlled with your prescribed pain medication. The majority of the sutures used during your surgery will be dissolvable and all of them are covered by thin surgical tape that should be left in place for the first week after your surgery.

To find out more about liposuction please contact us at 310-246-2355