Anesthesia in plastic surgery,
surgeries, and types of anesthesia
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We describe two types of anesthesia for patients undergoing surgery. For all types of anesthesia that we will list, with the appropriate preoperative examination, any risk during and after surgery is minimal.
Intravenous anesthesia (TIVA Total Intravenous Anesthesia) Sedation
This is the type of anesthesia we have been using since 1993, when local anesthesia is not sufficient and general anesthesia is not considered necessary. It is the most commonly used method of anesthesia in cosmetic plastic surgery.
TIVA is always used in combination with local anesthesia, for small areas, or for larger areas that need to be anesthetized using the Tumescent local anesthesia technique. With the Tumescent technique, the area where the surgery will be performed is infiltrated with a relatively large amount of a special local anesthetic solution, which simultaneously causes vasoconstriction, resulting in minimal or zero blood loss. For the Tumescent technique, sedation always precedes, so that the injection of the anesthetic solution into a large surgical area is not perceived by the person undergoing surgery. If we want to describe this experience, we can say that the person sleeps, breathes calmly, and feels no discomfort, fear, or pain. Throughout the procedure, all vital functions are continuously monitored by the anesthesiologist on a monitor. The desired level of sedation is maintained using a special drug infusion pump with which the anesthesiologist controls the flow of intravenous medications.
The level of sedation is determined by the type of procedure and the preference of the person undergoing surgery.
Sedation can be light where you feel relaxed and answer questions, moderate where you feel relaxed, drowsy, and may fall asleep, but respond if we call your name, or deep where you breathe calmly but have no awareness of your surroundings and most likely will not remember the procedure.
At all levels of sedation, the person wakes up immediately upon discontinuation of the anesthetic medications with a feeling of euphoria, has no sense of time, and usually thinks the procedure lasted only 10 minutes.
Most patients leave the clinic one hour after the procedure, without pain or nausea, and are able to eat and drink normally and resume normal activities according to the surgeon’s instructions. They are not allowed to drive on the day of the surgery.
Our goal is for your experience in the operating room to cause you no anxiety, if possible. It is a common observation that for many people, the idea of anesthesia and particularly general anesthesia creates hesitation and an unpleasant feeling, and questions arise such as “Will I wake up from anesthesia?” or “Will I wake up during the procedure?” The fact is that for certain major procedures involving the nose, chest, and abdomen, general anesthesia is the SAFEST method because it ensures proper lung ventilation, keeps the person still during the procedure, and prevents sneezing or coughing at the “wrong” moment.
During general anesthesia, medications are administered for sedation, pain relief, and muscle relaxation (most of the time) so that the person sleeps, feels no pain, and remains still. Throughout the procedure, monitoring is done with the help of monitors and specialized equipment that display the level of anesthesia, allowing the anesthesiologist, at the patient’s side, to coordinate the anesthesia with the progress of the surgery.
Today, with the use of new anesthetic drugs that are quickly metabolized by the body, recovery after general or intravenous anesthesia is faster and easier. Over 95% of all our aesthetic procedures do not require an overnight stay at the clinic, regardless of the type of procedure and the type of anesthesia used. Medical history of conditions such as diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, or hypertension are generally not reasons for hospitalization after surgery. For the remaining procedures, a stay at the clinic is required, depending on the type of surgery and other medical reasons. Many patients worry or have had the unpleasant experience of nausea and vomiting after surgery. If appropriate measures are taken, this side effect can be avoided. First of all, any anesthesia should be administered on an empty stomach. During anesthesia, intravenous pharmacological prophylaxis for nausea is administered, resulting in no post-operative nausea and vomiting in 99% of our procedures.
To leave the clinic, certain criteria must be met. You must feel well, with stable blood pressure and pulse, be able to walk steadily without support, eat and drink without nausea, be free of pain, and have clean bandages (if any). You are not allowed to drive on the day of the operation and should not plan to work on that day. You must have someone accompany you when you leave the clinic.
Some people stipulate that their procedure should NOT be performed under general anesthesia. The answer is YES, almost all procedures can be performed with intravenous and local anesthesia if there are other serious health reasons. However, there are procedures for which, for specific reasons, general anesthesia is the most appropriate and safest. For example, in rhinoplasty, despite everything that is said and written, the use of a breathing tube (general anesthesia) isolates the nose-lung connection and thus eliminates the possibility of blood aspiration into the lungs from the nose during the procedure.
In conclusion, because your safety is our primary concern, we will recommend the safest anesthesia for your procedure, wanting the entire process to be smooth, calm, and without complications. We believe that Dr. Stamatiou’s long-standing collaboration with his anesthesiologist is another reason to trust us.
So don’t worry about the anesthesia, but think about what changes you would like to make to your appearance!
