Facelift Q&A

85%

WORTH IT RATING

316 Reviews

Ask a Question

View Before and Afters

Average Facelift Cost: $11,225

Learn about Facelift

1,210 people and 808 doctors are talking about Facelift

Get Free Email Updates

I Had A Pulmonary Embolism 28 Years Ago. I Am Considering Having a Face Lift. Is There Still a Big Risk?

asked 8 months ago by buckwheat in Corona, CA
Latest answer by Sam Naficy, MD
Question viewed 300 times
Tags: age 65-74, embolism, risk

28 years ago I had a pulmonary embolism. At that time I was a heavy smoker and had traveled a long plane flight while feeling under the weather. I was hospitalized for about 2 weeks and took blood thinners for approx.6 months. I have had no other episodes or complications from this event and I quit smoking at that time. I am now 67 years old and am considering a 4-5 hour elective surgery for a face lift. Am I still at risk for complications because of the previous pulmonary embolism event?

22 answers to I Had A Pulmonary Embolism 28 Years Ago. I Am Considering Having a Face Lift. Is There Still a Big Risk?

No increased risk of pulmonary embolus for this facelift.

Of course you will need to have clearance from your surgeon and internist, but you should not have an increased risk.

Toby Mayer, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Pulmonary Embolism 28 Years Ago - Considering Face Lift

A PE is much more likely to result from a long general anesthesia as opposed to IV sedation. You should also have SCDs on your legs, massaging the leg during surgery. For most face lifts we use IV sedation anesthesia, which is a very safe and effective method of anesthesia for facial plastic surgery and rhinoplasty. IV sedation anesthesia is extremely safe compared to the standard general anesthesia techniques used today. The main advantages of IV sedation anesthesia are: (i) it... more

Sam Naficy, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facelift - I Had A Pulmonary Embolism 28 Years Ago. I Am Considering Having a Face Lift. Is There Still a Big Risk?

Probably not, but it will take a few assessments to get a more specific answer than that. And, of course, no one knows what the word "big" means in this case. My general sense is that you've undergone such a dramatic transformation since that time, and that pulmonary emboli are well known in the specific situation you were in (overweight, a long plane ride) so you can reasonably start with the assumption that this is an entirely different situation. That being... more

Alan Engler, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Blood clots associated with facelifts

I would see a hematologis before sugery. consider iv sedation which has lower rates of DVT. compared with general, wear ted hose,, use seq compression in surgery.. consider. perioperative SQ. thinners by injection consider shorter procedure such as the LiteLift which can be done in 1-2 hours under local

Jed H. Horowitz, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.pacificcenterplasticsurgery.com

Facelift after previous pulmonary embolus.

A full medical workup with Medical Clearance by your Internist will answer this question for us. There may be a slightly higher risk for you, but this can be managed adequately and should not prevent you from having a lift. Always ask your Plastic Surgeon about this and I am sure the best opinion will be offered to you.

Francis (Frank) William Rieger, MD
Tampa Plastic Surgeon

Can I have a facelift after a Pulmonary Embolism?

I would strongly recommend you get preoperative clearance from your primary doctor. Your history of having a PE in the past places you at a higher risk clearly for another event. You may consider a mini-facelift in an office setting under local anesthesia to reduce your risks. You may also see if your physician is open to using Arixtra after your surgery to reduce your risks. This is a blood thinner used often in abdominoplasty patients with great success in reducing... more

Christian Prada, MD
Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon

Pulmonary embolus-lung clot and plastic,cosmetic surgery

Fortunately, pulmonary embolus is a rare occurence but one that I make my patients aware of because I really have very little control over. I take appropriate precautions. During the surgery, the patient has alternating pressure stockings on which pump and circulate the blood in your legs. This are on until you leave the facility. Also, I encourage my patients to ambulate early and move their legs around at least every half hour while awake. If you have had a pulmonary... more

Edward J. Domanskis, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Face Lift after a pulmonary embolism

If you are properly medically prepared for the surgery, your chances of a repeat pulmonary embolism are quite remote. My recommendation would be to perform your procedure under twilight sleep. In my practice most patients successfully undergo face lifts, lid and brow surgeries in this fashion. Another factor to consider, is how long does it take for the surgeon to perform the procedure. Lower face-neck lift can usually be performed in under 3 hours. more

Boris M. Ackerman, MD
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

Yes of course you are at increased risk.

That does not mean you can't have a face lift which considered a low risk surgery. The important thing is to have an appropriate work up by your internist. What that work up will include very much depends on your current and past medical history and a number of factors. At your age, that work up might include a detailed assessment of your cardiac status. It is likely that your past embolism was related to smoking and travel at the time. Many surgeons employ... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD
Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Risk of Pulmonary embolus with facelift

You need a complete medical clearance prior to your procedure to rule out underlying clotting issues. Post op measures such as early ambulation are also important. The fact that you have stopped smoking also decreases the risk. Donald R. Nunn MD Atlanta Plastic Surgeon.

Donald Nunn, MD, DDS
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

History of pulmonary embolus and facelift

In answer to your question, whenever one has experienced a pulmonary embolus in the past, he or she is then at increased risk, statistically, of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolus in the future. With that said, the details in your history indicate prolonged immobility during a long plane flight contributed to your pulmonary embolus. A four to five hour face lift, whether under local or general anesthesia, is prolonged immobility. The use of sequential compression... more

L. Dwight Baker, MD
Dothan Plastic Surgeon

Surgery after PE

To get the real statistics you probably should see a hematologist, doctors who specialize in the blood. From a practical standpoint, a PE from that long ago probably does not not put you at much higher risk than others, especially under the circumstances you have described, provided you don't have any other predisposition for abnormal clotting. Hence the recommendation to be evaluated by a hematologist who could do a good work-up. If cleared than go for it. Just let your surgeon... more

Ronald Schuster, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

www.drschuster.com

I Had A Pulmonary Embolism 28 Years Ago. I Am Considering Having a Face Lift. Is There Still a Big Risk?

The risk of pulmonary embolism with facelift is low, especially if your surgeon does the operation not with general anesthesia but under deep sedation with local anesthetic. I always have sequential calf compression devices in place to keep blood from pooling in the lower extremities. Also I would recommend a preoperative consultation with a hematologist to rule out any conditions which might predispose you to blood clots. Good luck! more

Eric Pugash, MD
Vancouver Plastic Surgeon

I Had A Pulmonary Embolism 28 Years Ago. I Am Considering Having a Face Lift. Is There Still a Big Risk?

It depends on your overal health but IMHO, you need a full medical clearance from your pulmonary MD and it would seem logical to limit the total surgery time perhaps with a minimally invasive Face Lift as well as using intermittent pressure to the calves during the surgery.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Blood clots and surgery

It is now recognized that flying in an airplane, especaill when sick or dehydrated, puts one at a higher risk of a blood clot. Most likely you could have the facelift without any issues, but a work up by a hematologist to make sure you don't have some undiagnosed blood clotting problem that is inherited is a good idea. Aslo, there are compressive stocking and pulsed massagers on the calves that can in the opearting room be used to help lower the risk. Best of luck with it. more

Julio Garcia, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

lvcosmeticsurgery.com

Facelift and risk of pulmonary embolism

A surgical procedure lasting four or five hours has an elevated risk of deep vein clot. In patients with a previous history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) resulting in pulmonary embolism the risk is increased further. Calculating risk of another episode is difficult. Options that decrease risk of DVT include: Local anesthesia with mild sedation. Dramatically lower rate of DVT Shorter procedures and avoid combining procedures (like... more

Mario Diana, MD
San Antonio Plastic Surgeon

Risk for a second pulmonary embolus

There are many risk factors to consider when considering the risk of a second DVT and pulmonary embolus after a facelift. Even after 28 years since your last mishap, your risk score will be higher. Longer procedures, older age, abnormal lung function, swollen legs or varicose veins, prior cancer, bed rest, all add up to a higher risk score. We suggest a full medical clearance examination, and appropriate prevention planning. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

You are at higher risk and should take extra percautions

You had blood cloths before and this could have been because of the genetic predisposition. You need to have full work up and this can be done by your hematologist. If you decide to have Facelift, I would recommend local or MAC anesthesia, lower leg pumps(Sequential Compression Device) during the surgery and for two days post surgery.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Make sure you get medical clearance for anesthesia.

With your history of pulmonary embolism, you may have had some damage to your lung tissue that has remained all these years. For an elective procedure under general anesthesia that may last 3-4 hours, you are at mild increased risk of pulmonary problems temporarily. If your medical doctor feels that you are a safe candidate for surgery, then you can proceed knowing that you are starting your process of facial rejuvenation in the best way possible. Additionally Dr.... more

Manish H. Shah, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

Pulmonary Embolism 28 years ago

There are certain genetic clotting disorders that should be ruled out (and may have been already). If the blood clot was completely attributed to smoking and immobility, you shouldn't be at greater risk as long as you don't have other risk factors (besides being older now). There are many risk factors for blood clots - general anesthesia is one, length of time under anesthesia, being overweight, smoking, increasing age, hormone therapy,... more

Michelle Spring, MD
Marina Del Rey Plastic Surgeon

Safety Comes First

This is something that has to be shared with your board certified surgeon. He/she should be putting your safety first by requesting a physical evaluation, including blood work, ekg, and chest x ray from your primary care physician before proceeding with an elective procedure.

Kimberly Lee, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Embolism

After all these years, I doubt that you are at any greater riak than any other patient. However, this not a question for plastic surgeons. You need to talk with your primary care doc