Body Jet Liposuction is a water jet assisted surgery that can be performed as an outpatient surgery and typically requires only local anesthesia. The duration of the body jet surgery ranges between 30 minutes for a small surface surgery and 90 minutes for thighs or hips. The surgery is performed using a water jet and a hollow tube known as the cannula that will absorb the fat.
The Preparation Phase
Marking lines are drawn prior to the surgery. The plastic surgeon will delimit the borders of the areas to be treated. A local anesthetic is given in the areas to be treated.
The surgeon will make several small incisions around the areas. The incisions are not larger than 0.2 inch or 5 mm.
The procedure is performed using some tools and a disposable body jet kit that includes a cannula and an infiltration cannula, which will be used to insert the water under the skin.
The Infiltration Phase
The pressure of the water jet will be set, according to the area treated and the infiltration cannula will be pushed 0.2 inch /5 mm under the skin.
The water jet should be pointed at the fatty cells and the cannula will be gently rotated. After the liquid is inserted, the skin will be swollen and the liquid can be felt when palpating the area.
The infiltration beyond the marked boundaries is not recommended. The patient will be examined to see if the area has been properly infiltrated. The water jet must be left to dislodge the fat cells.
The Irrigation and the Aspiration Phase
The suction cannula is used for the irrigation and the aspiration phase. The surgeon will gently move the cannula back and forth, suctioning the fat. The cannula follows the water jet. The cannula will be inserted a bit deeper under the skin, so that the fat cells can be properly removed.
The surgeon will verify the skin several times during the surgery; the pinch test will help the surgeon determine if the procedure is complete. The surface should be even and soft.
At this stage, there will be no swelling, so the surgeon can efficiently asses the results of the surgery. If there are uneven surfaces, the plastic surgeon can revise these areas and extract the remaining fat and liquid.
If only local anesthesia is performed, the patient is fully conscious throughout the surgery and can move, to provide the plastic surgeon a better angle to absorb the fat, if needed.
After the surgery is complete, compression bandages will be applied to prevent hematomas and the accumulation of serum. These compression bandages should be worn for 2 days after the surgery.
Variations in Body Jet Liposuction Techniques
There may be variations in the size of the cannula used and the pressure of the water jet, depending on the areas that are treated. The surgeon may opt for gentler instruments for areas such as face, chin or neck and larger cannula tubes for thighs, stomach or buttocks.
