Our clinic director has carried out liposuction of many patients in the United States and Japan for many years. Although liposuction is already recognized such an effective treatment in the United States as an established cosmetic medical technology, but there are reports of serious complications such as fat embolism, abdominal perforation and death besides a mild complication such as unevenness of the skin surface. We do not have experience of such serious complications in our practice, but unfortunately there was report of such a case in Japan very recently.
We have repeatedly explained how to make a safe and effective liposuction for many years by invited lectures and papers at academic meetings, but unfortunately there are many self-proclaiming “cosmetic surgeons” in Japan who are not board-certified in plastic surgery, it can be said that in some cases it may be an extremely dangerous procedure.
First of all, careful counseling is essential for liposuction. Depending on the types of the supplement or prescription medicines, it may become easy to bleed, and it may be impossible to carry out safe liposuction unless these medicine are stopped ahead. Also, in preoperative examinations, especially in the case of abdominal liposuction, it is necessary to determine whether there is an umbilical hernia or scar of past abdominal surgery. Small umbilical hernias may be difficult to find even with a specialist. In our hospital, we are trying not to make a hole around the umbilicus in such a case to improve safety.
Next, during the treatment, it is a technical problem, but in case of a right-handed doctor, how to use the left hand becomes important. It is necessary to perform the treatment while checking with the left hand where the tip of the liposuction tool called cannula is heading.
Finally, close all the holes used for suction and fix it under compression. Also, in case of day surgery, after surgery, we request an escorting person to be accompanied to see the patient’s conditions until next day. If that is impossible, you will be hospitalized at a university hospital and do the procedure there.
By observing the above guidelines, liposuction can be safe and effective even if it is a stomach operation. I think that the expenses are never higher compared with slimming surgery using laser or ultrasound.