Tumescent mini abdominoplasty

The tumescent technique for liposuction has become a widely accepted procedure in the plastic surgical community. We have used this technique as primary anesthesia for a limited abdominoplasty (mini abdominoplasty) in a series of 35 patients over a 2-year period on an outpatient basis. Anesthesia for the procedure consists of tumescent lidocaine solution and minimal sedation with oral Valium or low-dose intravenous Versed. All patients had good hemodynamic stability and tolerated the procedure well. No complications were noted intra- or postoperatively. The tumescent technique provides adequate and safe anesthesia for mini abdominoplasty with supplemental liposuction. The main advantages of the procedure include avoidance of risks associated with general anesthesia, less bleeding, faster recovery, and probably reduced cost of the operation.