Liposuction

There will be significant swelling and bruising in the surgical areas, the majority of which will resolve in two or three weeks but will not completely resolve for as much as six months. There will be numbness of the skin in the surgical sites which will resolve over two to six months and may be permanent to a mild degree. Once the fat is removed, irregularities and skin dimpling may occur with waviness and/or adhesion to underlying muscle and fascia causing a permanent deformity to appear, which may require further surgery. Asymmetry is also a possibility requiring additional surgery for a minor fee.

Pain following a facelift is expected. The pain feels like soreness, like you’ve worked out way too hard. However, you will be given prescriptions for pain medications at your preoperative appointment one week prior to the surgery. You should have these filled and ready for your arrival back at home. Please take them as prescribed and should you not utilize them all, bring them back to us and we can dispose of them for you properly.

You should continue to wear the compressive garment provided for a period of six weeks. Generally, the garment should be worn 24 hours a day for the first four weeks and during the daytime hours the final two weeks. At some point, based on the swelling cessation, Dr. Lambruschi will instruct you to go out and purchase and shaper garment to wear instead of the garment. This will be easier to hide under your clothes, and much more comfortable.

Immediately following the procedure, some bleeding may occur especially from the puncture areas in which the liposuction was performed. Pads will have been placed on most of these areas. Immediately following the procedure, a liposuction garment is placed on you (it was included in the price) and should you find that your garment is becoming blood-stained or tinged, it is advisable to put some gauze between the garment and the area where the fluid is coming from. The tumescent solution drains from these sites, it may be tinged with blood, but we assure you, it’s not blood.

No, you may not drive for a 24-hour period following sedation of any kind. You will need a responsible friend or family member to take you home and care for you for at least the first 24 hours following surgery. For your safety, we cannot permit you to leave in an Uber or a taxi.

You can expect a one-week recovery time. However, bruising and swelling can last for several weeks.

There is a circulating nurse who will greet you, perform preoperative assessment, and prepare you for the day. You will then meet with your Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, if necessary, who will start your IV and answer any questions regarding pain management and sedation. Dr. Lambruschi will then answer any questions and mark the areas to be liposuctioned. You are then taken to the operating room where Dr. Lambruschi will be present, two surgical nurses, and the anesthetist. Your main OR nurse who greeted you in the morning will be present the entire time and will be with you for recovery as well. You will get to know her-she is your surgical buddy!

Cosmetic procedures such as this are performed in our office surgical suite. We have a separate preoperative area, full anesthesia capabilities in our main operating room, and a comfortable post-anesthesia care unit with private bathroom facilities.

As Dr. Lambruschi would say, “I could rush…” but seriously, the length of the procedure depends on many variables, but usually takes a few hours. You can typically expect a 2 hour surgical time, with a two hour recovery time. You will arrive at 6:45 am and can be expected back home about 12 pm.

Type of anesthesia depends greatly on the area to be liposuction and the amount of fat removed. Submental or liposuction under the chin can be done with a simple IV sedation while larger areas will require anesthesia provided by a Certified Nurse Anesthetist. Having anesthesia personal present ensures your safety and comfort throughout the procedure. The cost for this is included in your surgical fees.

Lab work requirements are based on age and health history of the patient. A healthy patient under the age of 40 requires a CBC, PT/PTT, and a pregnancy test. These labs can be performed here in our office for a very small fee. Patients between the ages of 40-50 require a CBC, PT/PTT, CMP and an EKG. Again, blood work can be performed by our office, but an EKG will need to be done elsewhere which we can arrange for you at either your physician’s office or at Advocate Sherman Hospital. Patients older than 50 also require a chest X-ray, which again will be arranged for you.

Dr. Lambruschi utilizes the tumescent liposuction technique. This technique is the most common and reliable form of liposuction and has been used with great results for decades.

Liposuction is performed to contour unsightly areas of deposit fat from the thighs, hips, abdomen, waist, upper arms, back, bra line, chest, and neck area.