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Mini Facelift, Neck Lift, Fat Transfer and Myectomy - Safe w/ Local Anesthetic?

asked 1 year ago by Rancho Cucamonga8513 in Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Latest answer by Glynn Bolitho, PhD, MD, FACS
Question viewed 454 times
Tags: female, combination, local anesthesia, safety

I am a 50 year old female in excellent health. Recently I decided to look for a surgeon to perform a mini face/neck lift with fat transfer. My surgeon will also perform a myectomy of the lateral orbicularis. To save on the operating room cost he has suggested we do it in his procedure room. All searches indicate no more than 2 hours under a local for these types of procedures. My doctor said the time frame will be just over 5 hours. Can a patient withstand this time frame under local?

8 answers to Mini Facelift, Neck Lift, Fat Transfer and Myectomy - Safe w/ Local Anesthetic?

+1

Safety

I think you need a more complete lift to help with your lower neck. Although, you can do this under local five hours is way too long and would be difficult for you. I prefer general anesthesia because you airway is protected and therefore safer
David A. Bray, Sr., MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

drbray.com

+2

Face Lift, Beverly Hills Face Lift, Local Face Lift, Radiesse, perlane, Cheek Implants

  I have performed Face Lifts for over 20 years and 5 hours seems like a very long time to perform a limited dissection Face Lift.  Our Celebrity Face Lift takes 90 minutes and we frequently do these under local.  The local typically lasts about 90 minutes, so in a 5 hour time span you'll have to have the injections repeated at least 3 times but the problem is that once the tissues are dissected, the local has nowhere to be injected.  Once the local wears off,... more
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Face lift

With the picture you provided. You need a full SMAS face lift. 5 hours local with sedation or general anesthesia. You will be disappointed with miniface lift.
Samir Shureih, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+2

Cost saving on face lift.

Local anesthesia is often given with other medications, such as Valium, before and during a procedure. Certain patients can tolerate this situation, others may not. Greater degrees of sedation or even general anesthesia may be desired by some patients and surgeons. Five hours of just local anesthesia would be difficult for most patients.Plus it is hard for a surgeon to work on an uncomfortable patient. A procedure room that is used for the kind and amount of work you describe serves as... more
Sheldon S. Kabaker, MD

Oakland Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Minilift, etc. Under local anesthesia.

I do these procedures under general anesthesia in our certified operating center for two reasons. I concentrate on your surgery and the anesthetist concentrates on you! Secondly, severalhours of surgery is very uncomfortable for the patient.
Toby Mayer, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facelift anesthesia

To me the real answer is why would you want to avoid the operating room? I understand the cost considerations, however one needs to look at the overriding safety issues. My suggestion would be to have the procedure performed in an accredited operating room. The process of accreditation requires adherence to stringent safety standards. To undergo a lengthy procedure outside of an accredited operating room implies that these safety standards will not be in place for... more
Glynn Bolitho, PhD, MD, FACS

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.bolithomd.com

+1

Mini lift works well

I perform mini lifts almost every week. They do very well and most are completed in less than 2 hours, but some people can tolerate a much longer procdure. I have at the most, completed a mini lift, open brow lift and all 4 lids for blepharoplasty. Most patients tolerate it very well without any sedation.
Nasimul Huq, MD

Niagara Falls Plastic Surgeon
+1

Twilight Anesthesia is Safe

In general, twilight anesthesia (local anesthesia with sedation) can be safely used for procedures lasting 5 hours.  This includes facial, breast, and body procedures.  On the other hand, you may have quite a problem being comfortable for that period of time with just local anesthesia and no sedation.  It isn't necessarily unsafe, but you will probably want to get up and leave before too long!  Real surgery requires real anesthesia - don't skimp just because... more
Randy J. Buckspan, MD

Austin Plastic Surgeon

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