General or Local Anesthesia for Axillary Breast Tissue Removal?

Thank you for your question. Both types of anesthesia can provide a safe and comfortable platform for axillary tissue removal surgery. It is more important that you feel comfortable with your surgeon and the surgical plan as this is ultimately what you will be remembering after the procedure.

Thank you for your question regarding whether you can have general or local anesthesia for axillary breast tissue removal. This depends on how much axillary breast tissue there is and the comfort level of your plastic surgeon. Suppose there is a lot of breast tissue. This may need to be done in the operating room under general anesthesia. If there is a mild amount of axillary breast tissue, this can be done local in the office. Alternatively, if the breast tissue is too much in the axilla and you insist on having local, you may have one area done at a time. Usually, most patients go under general anesthesia for axillary breast tissue removal for comfort and speedier recovery. I hope this helps to answer your question regarding whether you can have general or local anesthesia for axillary breast tissue removal.

I perform axillary breast tissue removal under local anesthesia or general anesthesia, depending on the case.  Many of these patients also undergo liposuction of other areas at the same time.  For those patients, general anesthesia may be the better option. Local anesthesia if fine for isolated axillary treatments.

Axillary breast tissue removal with light sedation is an excellent alternative to general anesthesia.  This can be performed in a certified office OR or outpatient facility. Using local anesthesia alone may cause you discomfort, so the addition of sedation is recommended.  Also, if the tissue is axillary breast tissue, make sure that your physician sends the tissue for pathological evaluation.  All breast issue should be evaluated when removed to check for occult breast cancer ( although rare).

                  It’s
not unusual for patients with axillary breast tissue to request surgical
excision. This procedure can be performed under local anesthesia or general
anesthesia. The size, location, patient preference, surgeon preference and
health history are all important considerations when choosing anesthesia
methods. In most cases, the procedure is performed under general anesthesia,
but in selected cases can be performed under local anesthesia.