Combination Procedure-Breast Reduction with Liposuction, Raleigh North Carolina*

Combination procedures in plastic surgery are quite popular. Patients typically have multiple concerns and hope to have them addressed in one setting. This 57-year-old woman wanted smaller lifted breasts as well as fat reduction through liposuction. She had a previous abdominoplasty elsewhere and had gained weight and now had a body mass index of 30 and was unable to really change that very much. She underwent a vertical mastopexy with around 2 L of liposuction of her abdomen flanks and bra roll as well as a revision of her abdominoplasty scar. Dr. Lyle used the Vaser device which is helpful to tighten the skin and also more effective in patients with prior liposuction. What are the limits of liposuction when combined with other procedures? In some states, like Florida, liposuction when combined is limited by law but no such laws are present in North Carolina. However, safety concerns as well as the patient's budget limits the amount of liposuction that can be performed. Most plastic surgeons recommend an in-hospital stay if liposuction amounts are greater than 5 L. In combination with another procedure, Dr. Lyle generally limits the liposuction to 3 L or less with combo procedures. A lot of this does depend on the patient's underlying health. The cost of a breast reduction is just over $10,000 and adding liposuction can increase the costs of the combined operation upwards of $20,000 so budget concerns also limit the amount of liposuction that is performed