3 Types of Anesthesia Used in Plastic Surgery
3 types of anesthesia used in plastic surgery, There are various types of anaesthesia in plastic surgery. Not feeling pain during anaesthesia is one of the main procedures that each of you wants. Our surgeons will administer anaesthesia according to the plastic surgery procedure to be performed. The types of anaesthesia used in plastic surgery vary according to the complexity and duration of the surgical intervention and the needs of the patient. These anaesthesia methods allow the surgeon to work comfortably, while ensuring that the patient does not feel any pain during the operation.
Let’s examine the 3 types of anaesthesia used in plastic surgery together;
General Anesthesia
General anaesthesia is a type of anaesthesia that allows patients to be completely asleep and unconscious. It is especially commonly used in longer and more complex surgical procedures such as facelifts, tummy tucks or multiple procedures. During this process, the anaesthetist constantly monitors the patient’s vital functions and controls the airway throughout the operation. General anaesthesia ensures that the surgery is comfortable and painless. Side effects of anaesthesia, especially nausea, are prevented and treated in advance with intravenous (IV) medication during surgery and topical or oral medication when necessary. In this way, patients can experience a faster and more comfortable recovery in the postoperative period.
General anaesthesia is performed under the careful control of the anaesthetist to ensure the stability of body functions in a situation where the patient is not conscious. The role of the anaesthetist is to ensure that the patient is both physically and physiologically safe during surgery. The drugs used during anaesthesia reduce the patient’s level of consciousness to zero and eliminate all perception of pain. The constant observation of the anaesthetist ensures that the surgery goes smoothly by regularly monitoring the patient’s vital functions (heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels).
Possible side effects of anaesthesia may include postoperative nausea, dizziness and sore throat. However, these effects are carefully managed by the anaesthetist during and after surgery. Common side effects such as nausea are controlled with IV medications proactively administered during surgery and supplemented with topical and oral therapies as needed. Thanks to these management strategies, patients experience less discomfort in the postoperative period and can more easily adapt to the recovery process.
General anaesthesia, depending on the length and complexity of the surgical procedure, is meticulously administered to protect the patient’s health and to perform the surgery in the safest way. This method plays a critical role in ensuring the comfort and safety of the patient not only during the surgery but also afterwards.
Local Anesthesia
Local anaesthesia is a safe and effective anaesthetic preferred for minor surgical procedures. Doctors use this method by injecting painkillers directly into the surgical site. This numbs the area and prevents pain signals from reaching the brain. Local anaesthesia is often used for minimally invasive procedures such as mole removal, minor liposuction and facial surgery.
This type of anaesthesia offers complete pain relief while keeping the patient awake. Compared to other types of anaesthesia, local anaesthesia has a shorter recovery time and generally fewer side effects. This makes local anaesthesia an ideal option for less invasive procedures.
One of the advantages of local anaesthesia is that patients remain conscious during the procedure and postoperative side effects are minimal as only the surgical site is affected. This method increases patient comfort during the surgical intervention, speeds up the recovery time and reduces the risk of complications. In addition, it carries less risk compared to general anaesthesia, which is why it is often preferred by doctors for small and medium surgical procedures.
Regional Anesthesia
Regional anaesthesia numbs a specific area of the body, allowing a larger area to be made painless in complex surgical procedures. This type of anaesthesia can be administered through various techniques such as nerve blocks, spinal anaesthesia and epidural anaesthesia.
Nerve blocks block pain signals by injecting local anaesthetics around specific nerves, while spinal and epidural anaesthesia numbs a large area by injecting drugs into areas close to the spinal cord.
Regional anaesthesia offers a more comprehensive pain relief effect than local anaesthesia and allows the patient to have complete pain control over a specific area. However, this extended effect may in some cases lead to side effects. In particular, side effects such as nausea and vomiting are more common with this type of anaesthesia. Furthermore, regional anaesthesia can be performed in different ways depending on the type of surgery and the area of application. Such anaesthesia methods allow patients to remain conscious, increase comfort during surgical interventions and may shorten the postoperative recovery time.
Despite all this, there are many factors to be considered in the application of regional anaesthesia. For example, the experience of the anaesthetist, the techniques used and the general health status of the patient may affect the efficacy and safety of this anaesthetic method. Therefore, each patient’s condition should be assessed individually to determine the most appropriate anaesthetic method.
