Endoscopic browlift, facelift, lower blepharoplasty - Is a seven hour surgery under general anesthesia safe?

Question

I will be having: Facelift, Neck, Lower Blepharoplasty, Face fat grafting , Brow lift (endoscopic –because apparently no doctors do coronial anymore??) in July and I've been told the surgery will take 6-7 hours. So I will be under general anaesthesia for that long. Is this safe? I'm scared, what if I don't wake up? I have a history of varicose veins & hereditary clotting. What if I get a heart attack in the middle of being under?

Stephen Prendiville, MD · Answer

Answering this question depends in large part on a given patient's overall health.  Although I feel that 7 hours is a long time frame for this set of procedures (5-5.5 hours would be more the expectation in my practice), I feel very comfortable with healthy patients under heavy sedation.  You may want to have the "hereditary clotting" issue looked at prior to surgery.  I am unsure what this means.  Best to discuss your concerns with your Surgeon.

Marc Polacco, MD · Answer

This is a really great question. In general, the longer a patient is under anesthesia, the higher the risk of complications. That being said, risk is usually stratified based primarily on heart and lung health. So if your heart and lungs are completely healthy, the risks would be low. Your history of clotting is concerning however. It is common to place mechanical compression devices on patient's legs to help prevent clotting, as well as low doses of blood thinner as needed. However, the best way to mitigate a risk of clotting would be to do these procedures separately, or even under local anesthesia as able. Please be sure to communicate your concerns to your surgeon and anesthesiologist. Thank you for your question, and I wish you all the best.
-Dr. P

Endoscopic browlift, facelift, lower blepharoplasty - Is a seven hour surgery under general anesthesia safe?

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Endoscopic browlift, facelift, lower blepharoplasty - Is a seven hour surgery under general anesthesia safe?

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Brow Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.