General or Local Anesthesia for Liposuction?

Tumescent liposuction represents a significant advance in the management of localized fat collections.  When this techniques is utilized with local anesthesia alone the response varies from patient to patient. The majority of patients appear to do well and have good results especially when smaller amounts of fat are removed. Unfortunately, we frequently see patients who have had significant pain and discomfort during the injection process when local anesthesia is used alone. 

For this reason, many surgeons supplement local anesthesia with I.V. sedation or general anesthesia to minimize pain and discomfort during the procedure. When utilizing this approach patients can have more fat removed and avoid multiple procedures. The procedure is more comfortable and avoids break through pain which can occasionally occur with local anesthesia alone.

It’s important to realize that all surgical procedures and anesthetic techniques have risks. This is true whether local anesthesia, I.V. sedation or general anesthesia are utilized. Most surgeons who perform tumescent liposuction agree that the anesthetic technique utilized is less important than the use of a certified operating room and the presence of an anesthesiologist. In other words, you don’t want your surgeon to be your anesthesiologist.

Improved General Anesthesia for Cosmetic Surgery

The science of anesthesia has made dramatic advances in the past twenty years. In the past, inhalation anesthesia resulted in slower recoveries with more nausea. Current anesthesia techniques allow patients to wake up almost immediately following the completion of surgery. It’s also important to note that newer anesthetic agents are associated with less nausea following surgery. In addition, most patients are ready to leave the surgical facility within one to two hours following the completion of their procedure.

The response to anesthesia varies from patient to patient. It’s fair to say that anesthesia is often the most frequent source of anxiety for patients undergoing cosmetic surgery. It’s also fair to say that most patients are very happy with their anesthetic experience after surgery. If you have concerns regarding your anesthetic experience, make sure you discuss them with your anesthesiologist. This will ultimately alleviate your anxiety and improve the quality of your surgical experience.