Some procedures in plastic surgery often have very striking names, e.g. Mommy makeover, Insta-boob ( express augmentation mammoplasty), Cinderella surgery, etc.
But we must not forget that behind every plastic surgery procedure there is a surgery under local or general anesthesia.
The Mayo Clinic in the United States places special emphasis on the use of general anesthesia in those cases where the surgery is long, the patient is exposed to the coldness of the environment (remember that an operating room should be at a low temperature) or the surgery may affect breathing (as in the case of breast surgery or abdominal surgery for example).
So why do some physicians only prefer local anesthesia?
Some physicians try to convince their patients that local anesthesia is safer than general anesthesia when this is not always true.
The only certainty is that local anesthesia is cheaper.
Local anesthesia is generally safe but not foolproof. Although most patients are unaware of it, if toxic levels of local anesthesia are reached, the patient may even die.
There is a growing number of physicians who are not plastic surgeons. are not plastic surgeons (gynecologists, general surgeons, otorhinolaryngologists, maxillofacial surgeons and, above all, many self-styled “aesthetic” physicians and surgeons) who perform treatments learned in weekend courses with teachers who are not plastic surgeons either.
These “professionals” usually shy away from general anesthesia and try to persuade their patients to request surgeries that they consider “complex” and try to limit their interventions to those that can be performed under local anesthesia.
Example: if a patient needs liposuction and abdominoplasty, the “aesthetic doctor” will try to convince her that liposuction is sufficient to solve her problem, emphasizing that this will save money.
Unfortunately, plastic surgeons end up seeing the consequences of these anesthetic and surgical “discounts” and we find ourselves with unhappy patients, who have wasted time and money risking their health in unqualified hands and who need new surgeries to achieve the ideal result, if not to fix real disasters.
If your doctor offers you only surgery under local anesthesia, what should you do?
My advice is to inform yourself well because you could be dealing with a professional without the necessary guarantees.
Here is a battery of questions to help you know if you are in the right hands:
- Are you a plastic surgeon? All Spanish plastic surgeons belong to the SECPRE (Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery).
- Is he offering to operate in his clinic? Remember that the greatest safety is offered by the operating room of a modern hospital with its own ICU, such as IMED Hospital and NISA Hospital 9 de Octubre in Valencia.
- Does he have accredited experience? Ask him to demonstrate his experience in the specific surgery he is going to perform. Ask for before and after photos, and ask him to explain cases similar to yours that he has successfully dealt with.
- Do you have the right equipment to perform general anesthesia? This is often the real crux of the matter! The operating room equipment of some “professionals” is limited in many cases to their anesthesiologist or anesthesiologist plus nurse at best. Choose a plastic surgeon with a powerful team that guarantees maximum safety. For example, Dr. Patricia Gutierrez’s
usual team consists of a minimum of 6 professionals.
Which do you prefer: the best procedure or one with local anesthesia?
A qualified plastic surgeon, a member of the SECPRE (Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery), is trained to perform surgery under local anesthesia, sedation (with or without local anesthesia) or general anesthesia. As plastic surgeons we will not offer you the wrong procedure (disguised as safe or inexpensive) under local anesthesia. We will always offer you the surgery you need and we will make sure that the anesthesia is adequate.
Remember: protect your health and ask questions.
Article based on the guide Smart and Beauty (from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, ASAPS) and on the recommendations for choosing your plastic surgeon from the SECPRE and the ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).
