Anesthesia (Plastic Surgery Sedation)

There are three types of anesthesia:

General anesthesia
Local anesthesia
Sedation

General anesthesia

General anesthesia produces a state of total unconsciousness when in surgical procedures. The patient is controlled through endotracheal intubation (medical procedure in which a cannula is placed in the trachea. This is done to open the respiratory way with the purpose of providing oxygen, medicines or anesthesia to the patient).

Local anesthesia

It eliminates the painful sensitivity of a certain zone of the body, generally the skin.

Local anesthesia is administered while the patient is sedated and therefore, he or she will not have any discomfort.

Sedation

This type of sedation helps pain go away and diminish the anxiety.
The sedation procedure involves the combination of different medications without using general anesthesia. Analgesic sedation is commonly administered through an intravenous catheter, obtaining relaxation and minimizing annoyances. Frequently it is combined with local anesthesia injected to the specific area in surgery.

Minor side effects and a faster recovery are obtained with these techniques rather than with general anesthesia.

The most frequent anesthesia used to perform our procedures are local anesthesia and sedation to provide the patient’s safety and comfort.

Sedation levels

Although the effects of sedation are described as " levels", they are in fact, a part of a continuous sedation divided in three categories:

1) Minor Sedation

The patient will feel relaxed and will be wide awake. He or she will have the capacity to understand, answer questions, and follow doctor’s instructions.

2) Moderate Sedation

The patient is asleep, but he or she could be awakened, just by being touched or by speaking to them, although he or she will remember little or nothing.

3) Deep Sedation

The patient will always be asleep and will remember nothing. He or she will awake at the moment in which the medication stops being administered.

Monitoring and security

In any type of anesthesia, the patient will be monitored permanently for his or her security. The monitoring consists on the supervision of vital signs: blood pressure, heartbeat, respiratory rates and oxygen levels, all done with according equipment.

A certified medical anesthesiologist will perform this procedure. This trained professional has complete specialty studies in the matter which will give major security to the patient.

Post sedation

If the patient has received a minimum sedation, he or she will be able to go home immediately after the operation is finalized.

If the patient receives a moderate or deep sedation, he or she will be required to stay monitored during one or two hours until the effects of the medication have disappeared.

Conclusion

An analgesic sedation, when used correctly, is extremely safe and effective and is the method of election when an out patient procedure is performed.