Tumescent liposuction: partitioning of lidocaine at a lower dose (252 mg/l).

Background: The popularity of large-volume liposuction and the toxicity of lidocaine have led to a reduction of lidocaine dosage in tumescent liposuction. We have gradually reduced the concentration of lidocaine from 500 to 252 mg/l over the past decade.
Objective: To evaluate the partitioning and the recovery of lidocaine at a lower concentration in tumescent liposuction.
Methods: 10 consecutive patients' aspirate samples were analysed for the lidocaine concentration in the fat and the fluid component, the percentage of injected lidocaine removed by aspiration and its partition coefficient in fat versus fluid.
Results: 7.5% of the injected lidocaine was removed; its partition coefficient was 0.21.
Conclusion: 7.5% of the total lidocaine was aspirated in tumescent liposuction. The fat uptake of lidocaine was lower than in previous reports, which was of particular interest for future studies on lidocaine toxicity for the safety of the patients undergoing tumescent liposuction.
(Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.)