Liposuction is a medical procedure and as with all medical procedures it comes with risks and possible complications. It is vital that a person going in for treatment is fully aware of them.

The doctor must comprehensively brief the patient on all the steps involved in the procedure, possible complications that could arise and manage their expectations from the outset.

Dr. Gupta is of the firm belief that the health and safety of the patient is paramount. He has dedicated this page to providing as much information as possible about the risks, complications and side-effects of undergoing liposuction surgery.

1. Excessive liposuction.
Doctors will try to limit the number of liposuction surgeries on a single person in a day.

The probability of complications arising are increased if:
a) an excessive volume of fat is removed in a single day;
b) too many areas on the body are getting treated on the same day;
c) liposuction is combined with other surgical procedures, increasing the risks associated with being under general anaesthesia for prolonged periods.

2. Non-life threatening complications.
It is not uncommon for patients to suffer from minor complications but these are often dealt with immediately. This includes allergic reactions, postoperative fainting or syncope after urinating, visible or unsightly scars, skin discolouration, bruising and nerve numbness.

3. Severe complications
As with any surgery, there is always the risk of something going wrong, but these are rare situations. Complications that could be serious might include; blood clots in the leg or lungs, adverse reactions to anaesthesia, excessive blood loss or excessive IV fluids, and hypothermia. Other complications include bacterial infections, aspiration pneumonia, cardiac arrest and potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Permanent nerve damage is also a risk, as are seizures and brain damage if there is any oxygen deprivation.

These are worst case scenarios and almost never happen with tumescent liposuction, but it’s important for patients to be fully aware of anything that could possibly go wrong.

4. Preoperative use of drugs that could increase bleeding.
There are some drugs which, if taken prior to the operation, can cause problems with normal clotting. These include aspirin, ibuprofen and warfarin. Some of them can cause haematoma or excessive bleeding that could require the patient to be hospitalised. Vitamin E, red wine and some herbal supplements also sometimes cause excessive bleeding. Please be extremely candid with your doctor about any medication you are taking prior to having the procedure.

5. Local anaesthesia-related risks.
The tumescent technique is one of the safest methods of liposuction, and lidocaine is considered to be the most appropriate local anaesthetic for this technique, however, surgeons must be aware of the maximum dosage permitted – 50mg/kg. Any deaths that have occurred as a result of liposuction have been due to the use of general anaesthesia, IV sedation or lidocaine doses of more than 75mg/kg.

6. General anaesthesia-related risks.
General anaesthesia MUST be administered by a qualified anaesthesiologist.

Complications related to general anaesthesia can arise if, for example, another surgery is performed in addition to liposuction on the same day.

Problems associated with general anaesthesia include incorrect anaesthesia dosage, unknown sensitivity to the anaesthesia, vomiting and unknown airway blockage or disconnection. Complications associated with general anaesthesia can include breathing difficulties, leading to a possible life-threatening situation.

7. Risks with ultrasonic liposuction (UAL)
As UAL uses metal probes or metal paddles which generate a lot of heat inside the skin there is a high risk of skin burning and severe scarring. As a result this method of liposuction is rarely used.

Choosing the right patients
Complications can be minimised if doctors select the right candidates for the procedure and ensure that their patients are up to speed with the surgery and the risks associated with it.

Surgeons should discourage patients who want the procedure for the wrong reasons, such as; weight loss and obesity control; unrealistic expectations of the outcome; and those who have a medical history that might cause the procedure to put their health at risk.

From the patient’s perspective, complications can be reduced by avoiding the temptation to have too much fat removed in one day or getting the procedure done on too many areas of the body in one day. Doctor’s must discourage their patients from this and possibly suggest to their patients, if they are having large areas treated, to split them up into several procedures over a period of time.