I would say that the short answer is ...No. Local anesthesia is just the injection of a chemical like "novacaine" into the area to be treated. Safety and patient comfort are out watchwords. I would be concerned about the amount of local anesthetic needed for pain control...in a "local only" thigh lift...approaching toxic levels.My thigh reduction surgery is performed under TIVA anesthesia. We use no anesthetic gas or paralytics. The nurse-anesthetist or anesthesiologist sedates the patient, and uses some pain control drugs. We also end with an EXPAREL injection --which is a local anesthetic that works for about three days.Gluteoplasty or posterior thigh lift is performed under general anesthesia. With the patient prone, the airway must be controlled safely and an endotracheal tube is used.
