Tumescent liposuction report performance measurement initiative: national survey results.
BACKGROUND
This study was created by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care Institute for Quality Improvement to measure clinical performance and improvement opportunities for physicians and ambulatory health-care organizations. Data were collected prospectively between February 2001 and August 2002. Thirty-nine study centers participated, and 688 patients who had tumescent liposuction were surveyed and followed for 6 months.


OBJECTIVE
The objective was to determine patient satisfaction with tumescent liposuction and examine current liposuction practice and the safety of tumescent liposuction in a representative cohort of patients.


METHODS
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care Institute for Quality Improvement collected prospective data from February 2001 to August 2002 from 68 organizations registered for this study. Ultimately 39 organizations submitted 688 useable cases performed totally with local anesthesia, "tumescent technique."


RESULTS
The overall clinical complication rate found in the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care Institute for Quality Improvement study was 0.7% (5 of 702). There was a minor complication rate of 0.57%. The major complication rate was 0.14% with one patient requiring hospitalization. Seventy-five percent of the patients reported no discomfort during their procedures. Of the 59% of patients who responded to a 6-month postoperative survey, 91% were positive about their decision to have liposuction (rating of 4 or 5 on a scale of 1-5) and 84% had high levels (4 or 5 on a scale of 1-5) of overall satisfaction with the procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings are consistent with others in that tumescent liposuction is a safe procedure with a low complication rate and high patient satisfaction.
Hanke
William
W
The Laser and Skin Surgery Center of Indiana, Carmel, Indiana, USA.
Cox
Sue Ellen
SE
Kuznets
Naomi
N
Coleman
William P
WP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015187:Lipectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D008012:Lidocaine