Cosmetic surgery

Learn more about what goes on in a suction lipectomy, a surgical procedure to remove fat.

Learn more about the potential risks and outcomes of suction lipectomy,a procedure to remove fat cells through surgical suction

In the 1970s, a French surgeon developed a completely new technique for removing fat tissue using a hollow metal tube and high-vacuum suction. This method, popularly referred to as liposuction, has since found wide acceptance from both surgeons and patients. In addition, recent refinements have made the surgery safer and less painful, and produce even better results.

Mammograms Routine pre-operative mammograms are recommended for patients who are 35 or older. After surgery, the usual recommendation is for a mammogram every year after 40 years of age. Saline implants placed under the muscle allow for a better mammogram picture than what was previously possible with silicone gel-filled implants, but an extra mammogram picture taken from a different view is advised to achieve about 85% of the accuracy achieved in patients without implants.

How the surgical technique has evolved to the present Since the 1960s, plastic surgeons have been carrying out breast enlargement by placing an artificial device (prosthesis or implant) in the breast. Despite a storm of controversy that has surrounded the operation since its inception, it continues to satisfy the vast majority of patients.

Immediate problems that can occur As with any surgical procedure, breast augmentation can occasionally result in bleeding. Because a rather large space is created under the breast to allow placement of the implant, postoperative bleeding, if it does occur under the surface of the skin, can accumulate to a significant amount and cause painful swelling that requires urgent treatment.

Silicone implants Over the years, several concerns have arisen regarding the safety of the silicone gel-filled implants, and in 1992, these implants were taken off the market by the US Food and Drug Administration. Canada's parallel body, the Health Protection Branch, soon followed with a similar ruling.