Strategies for Reducing Fatal Complications in Liposuction

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Surgical Complications
• Medical Literature Analysis

Background:

• Liposuction is a prevalent cosmetic procedure with increasing severe complications.
• Research is needed to identify frequent severe complications and prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the most frequent severe complications of liposuction reported in scientific literature.
• To provide criteria for the prevention of these severe complications.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed.gov.
• Searched for English-language publications on liposuction and its complications from PubMed's inception to June 2017.
• Analyzed 39 selected articles detailing severe liposuction complications.

Main Results:

• The review identified 39 relevant studies on severe liposuction complications.
• The five most critical complications identified were: thromboembolic disease, fat embolism, pulmonary edema, lidocaine intoxication, and intraabdominal visceral lesion.
• These severe complications pose significant risks to patient safety.

Conclusions:

• The five identified severe liposuction complications are preventable.
• Implementing simple measures and adhering to proper safety protocols can mitigate these risks.
• This work outlines essential safety protocols for liposuction procedures.