EFFECT OF SYRINGE-ASSISTED LIPOSUCTION ON ACTIVATION OF CASCADE SYSTEMS AND CIRCULATING CELLS WHEN USING THE SUPERWET OR TUMESCENT TECHNIQUE

Although liposuction is considered to be a relatively safe procedure, several deaths and nonfatal serious complications such as sepsis, toxi c shock syndrome, thromboembolic disease, fat emboli, and adult respir atory distress syndrome have been reported. In the present study, we h ave investigated a wide variety of components belonging to the coagula tion, fibrinolytic, plasma kallikrein-kinin, and complement systems in 22 patients undergoing syringe-assisted liposuction using the superwe t or tumescent technique. In spite of a relatively high mean aspirate volume (2,648 ml), only small changes over time well within the normal range were found for the different parameters. In nine randomly selec ted patients, we also measured interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor -alpha. The size of the interleukin-6 peaks was found to be of the sam e order of magnitude as those measured in patients undergoing hernia r epair or percutaneous cholecystectomy but lower than those in patients undergoing open cholecystectomy, breast reduction, or breast reconstr uction. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha was not detected in any sample in any of the patients. We conclude that syringe-assisted liposuction wit h the present aspirate volumes using the superwet or tumescent techniq ue represents a small to moderate surgical trauma without clinical sig nificant activation of the cascade systems.