Tumescent, or superwet, liposuction is a modification of the wet method of liposuction. The surgeon injects very large amounts of saline (salt water) containing lidocaine (local anesthetic) and a small amount of adrenaline (epinephrine). Adrenaline is a hormone which occurs naturally in the body. It shrinks blood vessels and reduces blood loss.
The solution helps to numb the tissue and shrinks the blood vessels. This reduces pain and bleeding. Many surgeons feel that bruising and swelling are also reduced.
The main use may allow some patients who would otherwise need a general anesthetic to be treated with local anesthesia and sedation.
Because of the distention of tissue some surgeons feel that this technique may make it more difficult to assess how much fat to remove.
During ultrasonic liposuction the tissue is kept wet to avoid burns and in this case tumescent or superwet technique is almost always used.