Tumescent liposuction complicated by pulmonary edema.

Abstract

In tumescent liposuction, large volumes of dilute lidocaine and epinephrine are infused subcutaneously to prepare fat for extraction. Reported cardiopulmonary complications of tumescent liposuction have been few, and the anesthetic and hemodynamic advantages are several. We report an instance of pulmonary edema in a healthy 55-year-old male body-builder who received 7900 cc subcutaneous and 2200 cc intravenous fluid. With normal cardiopulmonary and renal function, the patient responded promptly to intravenous diuretics without sequelae. Out of over 900 patients who have had tumescent liposuction with up to 15 liters infused parenterally, this is the first case of pulmonary edema.