Liposuction is performed at Marin Cosmetic Surgery Center, located at Sutter Marin County Community Hospital. The operating room’s proximity to the hospital enables Dr. Delgado to offer exceptional surgical care while optimizing patient safety and privacy.
Before your procedure, Dr. Delgado will first utilize a special felt-tip pen to precisely map out the targeted treatment areas while you are in an upright position. These markings allow him to make accurate adjustments during surgery to accommodate any gravity-related changes in fat displacement when the body is moved to a horizontal position. Once the surgical map is complete, anesthesia can be administered, and the actual treatment can begin.
Liposuction is typically performed under general anesthesia, ensuring that you will be comfortable throughout the procedure and that Dr. Delgado can give you the best results possible. At Marin Cosmetic Surgery Center, anesthesia is administered by an experienced anesthesiologist.
During the liposuction procedure, Dr. Delgado will inject the tumescent fluid consisting of saline (sterile water with body-identical salt content), lidocaine (local anesthetic), and epinephrine (a vasoconstricting agent that controls bleeding)—a process that distends the fat layer.
Next, Dr. Delgado proceeds to make tiny incisions in inconspicuous areas, such as the navel and the buttock crease, depending on the location of the excess fat. A thin cannula is then inserted into the tiny incisions. Dr. Delgado may use Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAL) or Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction (UAL), depending on the customized plan for the patient. The device is attached to tubing extending to a machine that provides a vacuum.
The cannula is pushed back and forth through the fat layer. This breaks up the fat cells so they can be vacuumed out through the tubing to a canister on the machine. Once the desired contour is achieved, incisions are then closed with sutures, and a compression garment is placed over the treated area(s).
