Do you often get patients with the fear of dying on the table during surgery?

Thank you for your question. It is not uncommon for patients to fear anesthesia and surgery. Facts are the risks are very low and comparatively the risk of driving your car and being in an unfortunate accident are higher. You should discuss this with your board-certified plastic surgeon who uses a board-certified anesthesiologist in an accredited operating facility. Care should also be taken before surgery to sure you're medically optimized.

Anxiety prior to surgery is very normal; its complete elimination is usually not possible. Careful selection of your plastic surgeon will be the most important decision you make; everything else including choice of anesthesia provider, surgery facility, good judgment, and avoidance of morbidity/mortality will follow. Generally speaking, prior to surgery, I ask my patients to try to be as calm as possible; this “calmness" tends to translate to a smoother postoperative course. You may be able to alleviate some pre operative anxiety with music, exercise, meditation, a glass of wine (if ok with your surgeon), sexual activity (be careful...), and positive/objective focus on the long term outcome/benefits etc. prior to your procedure.Generally, patients find that they did “get worked up for nothing” after their recovery is completed.I hope this, and the attached link, helps. Best wishes.

This is a fear my patients sometimes relate.  Somehow, especially if they have children.  Discuss with your surgeon your overall medical status, and your surgeon should be able to help you with your fears.  Modern anesthesia and surgery are extremely safe.  If you have any medical conditions your surgeon may have you medically evaluated by an internist or cardiologist prior to surgery.  Best of luck!