Liposuction has become the most common cosmetic procedure in the United States, but some people dying to get rid of that extra fat may literally pay for it with their lives. A survey of plastic surgeons suggests that more people die during liposuction than during many other kinds of operations, perhaps because the procedure is often done quickly and without due care in doctors' offices instead of in the hospital.
Lipoplasty by surgeons, involves literally sucking fat from specific spots on the body. It has become the most common cosmetic plastic surgical procedure in the United States, according to the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS). ASPRS members performed 109,353 lipoplasty procedures in 1996 ? perhaps not surprising in a country where more than 50 percent of the adult population is overweight.
Researchers polled 1,200 members of the American Society of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS), asking them if they knew of any patient who died after liposuction. The 917 who answered reported 95 deaths in more than 496,000 operations. That works out to one death in 5,224, or 19 per 100,000. The most common reported cause was a pulmonary thromboembolism ? a blood clot. The generally accepted death rate for any kind of elective surgery ? the kind not needed to save someone's life ? is 1 in 100,000.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery January 2000
What a tragic waste to die in a completely elective procedure. Anyone considering this procedure should try the diet I advocate first along with a good aerobic exercise program. I would recommend running or fast walking if possible as it is most effective for reducing the buttock's size. If one is set on having this procedure performed, the most important thing is make sure your surgeon is board-accredited.