Liposuction has seen a lot of technological advances in its day, but one of the latest and most exciting developments involves something very simple: water. Water jet liposuction, which has been in development since 2000, but which has only been performed in the last few years, may be the new thing to watch in the field of fat-removal surgery.
Water-jet liposuction (also called water assisted liposuction, or WAL) is performed using a special cannula that has openings on both the sides and the top. The opening at the top shoots out high pressure water which, once inserted into the body, breaks down fat while leaving nerves and blood vessels intact. The side holes suction away the mixture of fat and fluid that results.
The simultaneous disruption and removal of fat has a number of advantages. It reduces tissue swelling and drastically cuts down surgical time and the time that the patient is exposed to anesthetic.
Water-jet liposuction also improves the recovery process. A study performed by Araco and Gravante comparing the post-op experience of patients of water assisted liposuction and traditional liposuction found a number of advantages. WAL patients had less bruising and significantly less pain than patients of traditional liposuction. WAL patients needed fewer pain killers. Furthermore, after a mere four days, 87% of the WAL patients in the study stated that they were free of pain, as compared to a mere 3.6% of traditional liposuction patients.
Some studies also suggest that water jet liposuction may have additional benefits. It may be able to remove cellulite, which traditional liposuction techniques cannot remove. Frequently, traditional liposuction causes an increase in cellulite due to an excess of saggy, loose skin. The more precise and delicate procedures of water assisted liposuction reduces tissue damage and can help avoid the problem of damaged skin and cellulite.
The full potential of water jet liposuction is still being explored; as the newest FDA approved liposuction method, there is much that remains unknown about water assisted liposuction. One intriguing benefit that is still being examined is the high survival rate of the fat removed in water assisted liposuction. Some studies suggest that up to 90% of the fat removed in water assisted liposuction survives. This extremely high survival rate, which is better than any other current liposuction method, allows for increased flexibility and for the capacity to transfer fat from one area of the body to another. Some surgeons have even begun performing "natural breast augmentations," in which fat removed in water assisted liposuction is replaced into the breasts.
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