Tumescent Liposuction

The evolution of liposuction has been multidisciplinary. The tumescent variant was developed using dilute local lidocaine and epinephrine and was meant to specifically exclude additional intravenous sedation, regional or general anesthesia, and intravenous fluids. Clinical pharmacology, pathophysiology, and safety studies are reviewed in this article. Tumescent formulations for varied anatomic sites are discussed, as well as other indications for tumescent anesthesia.