Liposuction despite abscess?
October 28, 2011 | 15,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Olaf Stephan
Hello,
my wife wants to undergo liposuction on her hips, thighs (outer and inner), and knees.
Now she has an abscess on her thigh in the upper area (near the labia).
Is liposuction still relatively safe despite this? The treating plastic surgeon is unfortunately not reachable by phone.
Thank you and regards
Dear inquirer,
In the case you described of an abscess in the planned surgical area, the planned liposuction is currently not feasible. On one hand, there is a risk of a severe soft tissue infection when opening the abscess during the liposuction procedure, and on the other hand, opening the abscess can lead to the spread of pus-forming bacteria throughout the body, potentially causing sepsis. The treating plastic surgeon will certainly not want to take this risk. Therefore, the abscess should be treated first (likely surgically and with antibiotics), and you should definitely discuss this with your treating physician. If the abscess is located exactly on the labia, it is called a Bartholin's abscess, which then falls into the realm of gynecology.
Sincerely, O. Stephan.
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