Here are definitions of medical terms related to liposuction.
Abdominoplasty: An operation that involves surgically removing excess skin and fat from the abdomen; commonly called "tummy tuck"
Anesthetic: A drug used to temporarily reduce or stop pain sensation
Body contour: Shape of the body
Cannula: A tube, which (for liposuction) connects to a handpiece that in turn connects to a suction pump
Cellulite: Collection of fat that causes the skin to look lumpy or dimpled; it does not go away with liposuction
Incision: Surgical cut
Large-volume liposuction: A type of liposuction that removes a large amount of fat and fluid from the body (more than 5 liters, or over 10 pounds)
Liposuction: A cosmetic surgery to improve body contour by removing pockets of excess fat from specific areas of the body
Lipoplasty: Another name for liposuction
Localized fat: Fat that is restricted to one or more spots
Super-wet liposuction: A liposuction method in which the wetting solution injected before the procedure is equal to the amount to fat removed
Tumescent liposuction: A liposuction method in which fat deposits swell (tumesce) after injection of a salt water-anesthetic solution that is two to three times the amount of fat removed
Ultrasound: A medical technique using sound waves for diagnosis or treatment; it is used in liposuction to produce heat that breaks up fat cells
Wet liposuction: A liposuction method in which the amount of wetting solution injected before the procedure is less than the volume of fat removed
