I am considering a facelift, age 56. Excellent health. Two of the four consults I have had prefer IV sedation, the other two, general. The estimated time for the surgery is 4.5 hours. This is consistent among all surgeons. The costs is approximately $3000 difference for general. I have been reading pros and cons to both. What factors should I consider in making my decision?
There is no single correct answer to this. I use a CRNA (nurse anesthetist) and would be very comfortable having her give me anesthesia. It is more a matter of preference than any demonstrable safety issue. Recovery after anesthesia may be a little bit faster with IV sedation than general. In either case the experience should be a comfortable one for you so go with the surgeon you think will do the best job.
It sounds as though the $3,000 difference in the procedures has to do with the surgeon performing both the surgery and the anesthetic simultaneously. The anesthesia team charges the same amount of money whether it is for I.V. sedation or general anesthesia. They are a service provider, and their charge is based upon the amount of time. It is important to have an anesthesiologist present for safety purposes in case there are any heart or lung problems during the procedure. General anesthesia is probably safer than monitored intravenous anesthesia.
| Discussion | Replies |
|---|
Be the first to start a discussion
