PROTOCOL FOR SAFE EXECUTION OF LIPOSUCTION PROCEDURE IN AN AMBULATORY SET-UP

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Author(s): Moeez Fatima, Faisal Akhlaq Ali Khan, Maryam Noor,

Received: 19/03/2022 | Revised: 06/02/2023 | Published: 25/02/2023 | Pages: 13-18 |


Background: Liposuction is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures by Plastic surgeons. The safety index of liposuction surgery is high but there is limited data of its safety as a day-care surgery. Generally, procedures done as day-care surgery are advantageous interms of cost effectiveness, resource utilization, and patient confidentiality. We share our experience of performing liposuction as a day-care procedure. Methodology: A retrospective descriptive study design was chosen. All patients who underwent liposuction as a day-care procedure over a period of seven years from January 2013 to December 2019 were included. Their record was assessed for the criteria of patient selection for the procedure of liposuction, pre and peri-operative preparation, surgical technique, the total amount of fat removed, anaesthesia, post-operative care, and discharge. After discharge from the hospital,precise queries were made on a phone call, and patients or attendants were specifically inquired about the presence and intensity of symptoms like pain, bleeding, nausea, vomiting, blackout, or fall, or any serious condition that may require readmission to the hospital or emergency hospital visit. Results: Out of a total of 208 patients, 120 (57.6%) were females, 88 (42.3%) were males. The procedures were done under different modes of anaesthesia, with general anaesthesia being given to the majority (59.1%). The average amount of fat removed during the procedure was 3.9 litres. The average BMI was 28.9. A very low percentage of patients had adverse effects like nausea (0.9%), pain (5.7%), and blackout (0.3%) Conclusion: This study highlights that liposuction can be done safely as a day-care procedure with strict patient selection. Proper pre-operative, per-operative, and post-operative care and a very stringent follow-upensure success of this procedure in an ambulatory set-up. Key words, Lipoplasty, Ambulatory set-up, Day-care surgery, surgical outcomes