ABSTRACT
Tumescent anesthesia (TA) is a distinct form of local anesthesia that employs a large volume of fluid containing a very dilute concentration of anesthetic and vasoconstrictor, as well as other additives. Local anesthesia is defined as the loss of sensation within a confined area without alteration of the patient’s consciousness. Tumescent is derived from the Latin word tumescere, meaning to swell. It is the swelling and resultant firmness of the tissue that both contributes to the regional anesthetic effect and also facilitates the procedure for which it is most commonly employed, liposuction. The safe and effective use of any drug necessitates a thorough understanding of the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic principles at work. TA takes advantage of the unique properties of several drugs and their interaction with each other and the target tissue, all of which contributes to the final desired result, safe and complete local anesthesia of a large region. Treatment of lidocaine overdose is supportive.
