Liposuction is an effective plastic surgery procedure to sculpt your body and get rid of unwanted, surplus fat deposits from different parts of your body, such as the abdomen, thighs, sides, flanks and butts. Depending on the target area for liposuction and the amount of fat to be removed, the procedure may be highly invasive, which can increase the risk of internal organ damage during the procedure. It is important to understand that your organs can be damaged during liposuction, not after the procedure.
During the liposuction surgery, the plastic surgeon would use sharp surgical tools and equipment to create incisions and remove fat from the target area. Surgical errors may occur during the procedure, which can damage your organs, especially when the procedure is being performed on the abdomen, sides, flanks and love handles.
It must be stressed that while liposuction is a popular and common procedure, it is nonetheless considered a major operation, so the risks are also greater. A visceral perforation may occur, leaving pinhole wounds in your internal organs. During the procedure, the surgeon is not able to see where the probe or cannula is headed after insertion under the skin. If the probe or cannula goes towards the wrong direction, it may reach an internal organ and damage it.
As example, there is a high probability for damage of the intestines during the liposuction procedure. Furthermore, if the procedure is highly invasive, it can create a hole in the space that houses the organs. There is also a chance that it can damage organs like the spleen.
When an organ is damaged during liposuction, another surgery may be necessary to fix it. Some organs are highly sensitive so that even a minor perforation of some organs can be life threatening. The good news is that there have been very rare cases of internal organ damage during liposuction. However, the risk of organ damage during liposuction is greater for patients who fall in the hands of inexperienced and unskilled practitioners.
If you want to decrease your risk of internal organ damage, make sure to select only a board-certified and highly skilled plastic surgeon to perform your liposuction surgery. A board certification not only proves the authenticity of the plastic surgeon’s credentials and qualifications, but also proves his or her experience and skills. It is also important to do your own research, gather as much information, and ask questions and get clarifications during initial consultation with the surgeon. It will help you make an informed, educated and calculated decision.
The risk of organ damage during liposuction also increases when the surgeon is performing multiple procedures at the same time. It is strongly advised that you should very carefully weigh the risks and benefits when your surgeon recommends another procedure to be carried out along with liposuction. If you are feeling anxious about the risk of organ damage during liposuction, make sure to discuss it with your surgeon during your initial consultation. He or she can help ease your concerns and provide you with more information about the probability of occurrence of organ damage in your case.
To conclude, organ damage often occurs during liposuction, and not after. When organ damage occurs, you might have to undergo additional surgery to repair the damage. However, only a few cases of internal organ damage during liposuction have been reported, to date. Thus, it is all a matter of being aware of the potential risks to properly prepare for the procedure.