Definition: Tumescent anesthesia is a type of anesthesia that is used in only a few select procedures. Instead of being inhaled or being given IV, anesthesia is diluted in sterile fluid and infused into the area where surgery will be performed. For example, the abdominal cavity would have the infusion prior to liposuction on the abdomen. For hair transplants, the infusion would be done under the scalp.
In some cases, the tumescent anesthesia fluid is combined with additional medications to decrease pain after the surgery or to decrease bleeding.
For major surgery, such as liposuction, the tumescent anesthesia is typically combined with another type of anesthesia to provide sedation.
Pronunciation: too-mess-ent
Also Known As: tumescent anesthetics, tumescent liposuction
Common Misspellings: tumesent, tomescent, toomesent, tomessent, tumessent, toomescent, tumesent anesthesia, tumessent anesthesia,
Examples: Tumescent anesthesia was used to numb the area and prevent serious bleeding after the procedure.
