Case Study

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Mega Large Volume Liposuction

WHAT ARE THE WAYS TO TREAT PATIENTS WHO CANNOT LOSE WEIGHT?

There are a number of surgical procedures available for patients who have excessive weight.  These include lap banding, which aims at restricting the amount of food that gets absorbed through to the intestine, mega liposuction which involves physically sucking out unwanted areas of fat, and tummy tuck which involves actually cutting out areas of fat. 

ARE THESE PROCEDURES EVER COMBINED?

Yes, often patients have had weight loss with lap banding will go on to have liposuction or tummy tuck.  Recently, such a patient who had lost 200 kg was featured on Today Tonight Channel 7 nationally and I had performed the tummy tuck on all the loose skin that he could not remove through his dieting.

HOW MUCH FAT CAN BE REMOVED?

With liposculpture there is really no limit to how much fat can be removed over a period of time but in any one sitting most doctors would be comfortable in removing about 5 liters of concentrated fat on top of the tumescent fluid that comes out.

HOW DOES ONE DECIDE WHICH AREAS TO PERFORM IF PERFORMING MEGA LIPOSUCTION IN STAGES?

Often what I will do is part of the stomach together with other areas and then do a different part of the stomach with a different area.  This way patients recover more quickly and there is less risk.

HOW LONG OF AN INTERVAL IS REQUIRED BETWEEN STAGES OF MEGA LIPOSUCTION?

This really depends on how quickly a patient recovers.  Sometimes it is just a couple of days. Other times patients start dieting and weight loss regimens and come back after a few months.

DOES ONE NEED TO DIET BEFORE MEGA LIPOSUCTION?

I always recommend that patients get as slim as they can before procedure as this gives the patient the best potential long-term result and also starts the ball rolling with a kick-start.  Some patients who come to me cannot lose weight.  They have either tried for a long time or have injuries such as sore knees and back which makes exercising impossible. Some people also have a very slow metabolic rate.  In most patients we go straight into the liposculpture.

WHY DOES THE SKIN CONTRACT AFTER MEGA LIPOSUCTION?

This of course is one of the most common questions that I get asked.  From this before-and-after photo one can see the tremendous amount of skin contraction that can occur.  I believe the skin contracts because of: 1) There is a volume that has been removed so the skin can now attach itself to the deeper tissues. 2) There is fibrosis and normal healing that causes tightening of all the canals that are made.  3) The method of liposuction which involves superficial liposculpture together with Vaser and MicroAir all enhances the result.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I PUT ON WEIGHT AFTER MEGA LIPOSUCTION?

Fat would return, classically into areas that have not been treated, but eventually could even occur in areas that were treated.