Can you have a tummy tuck under local anesthesia?

Local may be possible but the extent of correction would have to be relatively minor. It also depends on the preference of your surgeon and if you are deemed a suitable candidate.

Thank you for your question.  While most tummy tucks are done under general anesthesia, it is possible to do a tummy tuck under local anesthesia.  Whether or not you are a good candidate for a local tummy tuck depends on a number of variables including your health status, weight or body mass index and the anatomical findings on exam.  It is best to address these issues after a thorough history and physical exam performed during an in person consultation.  Best wishes.

In the past 1.5 years of my 24 yr practice, I  have safely offered mini to complete tummy tuck surgery under local anesthesia to select patients. The ideal patient is one who leads a healthy lifestyle with stable nutrition and exercise and who has a stable body weight and BMI, and who is very anxious about undergoing a general anesthetic. The patient must also be in excellent health. In our series to date, patients are 100% satisfied with their operative experience. The key is that the patient understands that there will be discomfort during the beginning of the procedure when local anesthesia is injected. During the remainder of the procedure patients typically sleep while relaxing to music. I recommend that you consult with a few board certified Plastic surgeons to be sure your expectations can be met with a procedure that is safe and reliable. Good luck!  

For 30 years I have done the majority of my abdominoplasty cases with regional anesthesia--epidural.  Epidural is familiar already to many women as it is used to facilitate the childbirthing process.  Complications are few in skilled hands and there is evidence to suggest that it reduces the risk of deep venous thrombosis, or blood clots, when compared to general anesthesia. Patients can then be sedated to their level of comfort.  Recovery has been quick in my outpatient setting with most patients leaving recovery within an hour or so. Anything can be done under local anesthesia of course, even brain surgery, but it is like standing up in a canoe --you can do it, but it may not be the smartest idea.

Over the past 20 years, I've only performed tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) surgeries under general anesthesia with an MD anesthesiologist administered the anesthesia and monitoring the patient to keep the safe and comfortable during this 1-1/2 to 3 hour surgery.  Our patients have done well and had a positive experience.  Our procedures are not performed in the office but in an accredited outpatient surgery center to optimize safety. Check with your board certified plastic surgeon for his or her preferences.  

No, a full tummy tuck cannot be done under local anesthesia. In order to do a full tummy time, your surgeon will make an incision, typically below the panty line, that goes from one side of your abdomen to the other. The surgeon will then carefully elevate the skin and fat off of the muscle layer of the abdomen. An incision will be made around the belly button so that it stays in the same place while the rest of the abdominal wall is lifted off of it. This abdominal wall elevation continues towards the ribs.Then, if there is any spreading of the vertical muscles, they will be sutured back towards the midline. The excess skin will be removed and everything will be closed. As you can imagine, this involves quite a large area. There is no safe way to give you that much anesthetic and still keep you completely numb. I recently spoke to a patient who had gone to another country to have a tummy tuck. This was done under local using large bags of ice to help keep her anesthetized. She stated she felt everything and that it was a terrible experience. My best advice to you is to seek a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon and have your procedure done in a certified facility using safe anesthesia. Best of luck to you.