Tumescent Anesthesia: A Brief History Regarding the Evolution of Tumescent Solution

Tumescent anesthesia, initially developed as a safer and more effective alternative to general anesthesia in performing liposuction, is used extensively today for a wide array of surgical procedures performed by various specialties. The make-up of the tumescent solution is variable, and it has evolved significantly over the past 40+ years. Even prior to Jefferey Klein’s tumescent solution recorded in his article from 1987, “The Tumescent Technique for Lipo-Suction Surgery,” there were significant contributions paving the way to modern formulations.1 In this article, we attempt to provide the most comprehensive history and timeline documenting the evolution of tumescent solution to date. J Drugs Dermatol. 2021;20(12):1283-1287. doi:10.36849/JDD.6212.