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Procedures at our centre
Credentialed doctors perform the following procedures at Templestowe Day Surgery under local or tumescent anaesthesia, with or without light sedation. We don’t provide general anaesthetic.
Skin cancer & skin surgery
Skin surgery removes a skin lesion, such as a skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma), a suspicious mole or a cyst. The area is numbed with local anaesthetic, the lesion is removed with a margin of healthy skin, and the wound is closed with stitches. Larger wounds may need a skin flap or graft.
The removed tissue is usually sent to a pathology laboratory, and your doctor will discuss the results with you.
Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty)
Blepharoplasty removes or repositions excess skin, muscle and fat from the upper or lower eyelids, and is commonly performed under local anaesthetic.
When excess upper eyelid skin interferes with your vision, surgery may be considered medically necessary. Your doctor will assess this, which can include a visual field test.
Gynaecomastia surgery
Gynaecomastia is the enlargement of breast tissue in males. Depending on the type of tissue involved, surgery may involve liposuction, removal of glandular tissue through a small incision, or both.
Before recommending surgery, your doctor will look for any underlying cause, such as a medication or hormonal condition.
Liposuction
Liposuction removes fat from specific areas using a thin tube called a cannula. In the tumescent technique, a large volume of dilute local anaesthetic solution is first infiltrated into the area, which numbs it and reduces bleeding.
Liposuction is not a weight-loss treatment, and it isn’t suitable for everyone. At our centre it is performed in line with the Victorian Department of Health’s Guideline for providers of liposuction, including limits on the volume removed in a single procedure.
Liposuction for lipoedema
Lipoedema is a chronic condition, almost always in women, in which fat builds up evenly in the legs, hips and buttocks and sometimes the arms. The tissue can feel heavy and tender and bruises easily. It doesn’t respond to diet and exercise in the usual way, and it’s often mistaken for obesity or lymphoedema.
There’s no cure. Treatment starts with compression garments, manual lymphatic drainage and exercise. If symptoms continue, liposuction may be considered to reduce the volume of affected tissue. Studies report less pain, bruising and heaviness for many patients afterwards, but results vary, liposuction doesn’t stop the condition, and you’ll need compression garments while you recover and possibly longer.
At our centre, liposuction for lipoedema is performed while you’re awake, under tumescent local anaesthesia. Because the volume removed in a single procedure is limited, treatment is usually staged over more than one procedure. If your doctor recommends a larger single procedure or general anaesthetic, it would take place in a hospital instead.
Liposuction for lipoedema doesn’t attract a Medicare rebate, and health funds generally don’t cover it either. Read about Dr Attalla’s approach to lipoedema.
Before you decide
Important information about cosmetic surgery
National rules apply to cosmetic surgery in Australia. They’re there to help you make a safe, well-informed decision.
Start with your GP
Since 1 July 2023, you need a referral from your GP before your first consultation about cosmetic surgery.
A cooling-off period
After you give consent for cosmetic surgery, there’s a cooling-off period of at least seven days before you can book or pay.
Ask questions
Ask your doctor about their qualifications and registration, the risks and alternatives, the expected recovery and the total cost.
AHPRA information for the publicAny surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Get in touch
Questions about your visit?
Our office team is here to help Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. For questions about your procedure itself, please speak with your doctor.