TUMESCENT LIPOSUCTION

TUMESCENT LIPOSUCTION WITH SMARTLIPO™ OR PROLIPO PLUS ASSIST

The most recent and exciting development in liposuction surgery has been the introduction of laser-assisted liposuction called Smartlipo™.  Although new to the United States, the Smartlipo™ laser’s technology has been used and tested in Europe, Asia and South America for several years.

Many of you have read about this new laser-assisted liposuction device in People Magazine when it was FDA approved in November of 2006.  Dr. Crabtree was the first  physician in Kentucky to incorporate the Smartlipo™ Laser Liposuction procedure into his liposuction practice…And due to his extensive experience with tumescent liposuction surgery, Dr. Crabtree has been designated as a national trainer for other cosmetic surgeons in the use of this laser.  The Smartlipo™ and ProLipo PLUS™ laser system both utilize a tiny laser fiber that is inserted through the fat layer and causes the fat cells to liquefy, creating a gentler and more efficient fat removal.  One of the more exciting aspects of laser liposcution is the ability to create a controlled amount of heat directly under the skin, which stimulates new collagen production.  This causes the skin to contract in areas that have been difficult to get good shrinkage in the past, such as the neck, arms, and medial thighs.

The Smartlipo™ and ProLipo PLUS™ laser simply adds another innovative step to the tumescent liposuction surgical procedure that Dr. Garrett Crabtree has successfully performed for many years. The laser fiber can only be used when the fat layers have been infiltrated with fluid or “tumesced”.  In true tumescent liposuction the fluid contains a local anesthetic that provides complete numbness in the area to be suctioned.  The fluid also contains a medication that causes the blood vessels to become very small during surgery, resulting in almost no blood loss during the procedure.  Although some surgeons use a variation of the fluid and still employ general anesthesia, true tumescent liposuction is performed under local anesthesia with the fluid acting as the anesthetic as well as the agent to reduce blood loss.  The laser fiber also seals the tiny blood vessels in the area, further reducing bleeding to an extremely minimal amount.  This micro-coagulation of blood vessels results not only in almost no bleeding, but also a significant reduction in bruising and swelling. This allows most people to be back to their normal activity levels within 24 to 48 hours.  The addition of tumescent  fluid has really opened the door to the development of newer techniques such as the Smartlipo™ and ProLipo PLUS™Plus laser to aid in the removal of fat.