history of liposuction

In the 1920s, a French doctor named Charles Dujarier first used suction to remove fat from the human body, however one of his procedures ultimately led to the death of a famous model of the time from gangrene. This unfortunate event put an end to liposuction for more than half a century. Over the decades, attempts to remove fat without suction failed because large incisions had to be made to remove the fat and this often left an imperfect, asymmetrical appearance.

Dr. Gorgio Fischer and his namesake son, both Italian gynecologists, invented the first safe fat suction technique in 1974. Dr. Fischer used a tube-like instrument called a cannula. A rotary scalpel at the end of the tube feeds fatty tissue into the cannula which is attached to a rubber hose with suction. The new procedure was able to remove fat from the body through a much smaller incision and left a more natural and symmetrical appearance.

The Fischer procedure was soon modified by Dr. Yves-Gerard Illouz with the use of a blunt-tipped cannula device. The previous sharp-tipped cannula used by the Fischers caused traumatic blood loss, nerve damage, and limited asymmetry. Using a blunt cannula allowed the surgeon to avoid cutting and damaging nerves and blood vessels leading to excessive bleeding and loss of feeling in the surgical area. While not prone to cutting non-fatty tissue, the blunt-tipped device cuts through fat with ease. The use of this new cannula resulted in faster recovery times and fewer complications in patients, as well as fewer deaths on the operating table.

In the 1980s, the European procedure aroused interest in the United States. Plastic surgeons, dermatologists and other types of doctors interested in the procedure traveled to Europe to observe it and brought it to the United States. Liposuction then became part of a unique change in plastic surgery in the 1980s as cosmetic surgery became more prominent. During this time, the safety and efficacy of the relatively new procedure was further improved as different types of practices joined the vigorous competition to make money in cosmetic surgery.

Compared to other plastic surgery techniques, fat suction was invented relatively recently, but has been rapidly innovating to add safety and speedy recovery to the patient experience. For such a recent addition to the world of plastic surgery, it certainly wowed the industry.