Tumescent liposuction: efficacy of a lower lidocaine dose (400 mg/l).
BACKGROUND
Local anesthesia has been widely accepted as the standard of care in liposuction. Anesthesia is achieved with a standard tumescent solution, and lidocaine is most often used at a concentration of 500 mg/l.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of a 400 mg/l lidocaine concentration in tumescent liposuction.


METHODS
We performed a randomized clinical trial on 200 consecutive patients undergoing lipoaspiration. Patients were divided into two groups: group A (n = 100) received tumescent solution with a lidocaine concentration of 500 mg/l, in group B (n = 100) lidocaine levels were reduced to 400 mg/l. Pain was assessed twice during the procedure, at infiltration and while liposuction was performed. Patients rated their pain level on a numeric rating scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being the worst possible pain.


RESULTS
Tumescent solution containing a lidocaine concentration of 400 mg/l provided effective local anesthesia during lipoaspiration. There was no statistically significant difference in the pain level between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
We propose the use of a lower lidocaine concentration of 400 mg/l in the tumescent solution compared to the originally described solution containing 500 mg/l. This is of particular interest when multiple body parts or larger areas are to be treated to avoid lidocaine toxicity.
Böni
Roland
R
White House Center for Liposuction, Zürich, Switzerland. info @ whitehousecenter.ch
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015187:Lipectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine