Do I Need to Be Under General Anesthetic for My Endoscopic Brow Lift and Rhinoplasty?

Dear BrigetteLA
Thanks for your question. The procedures you asked specially in combination are usually done under general anaesthesia. Specially when you need some nasal tip work and cartilage graft. General anaesthesia in young and fit people is usually very safe. You would usually have a pre assessment clinic session when they would check your bloods and make sure you are fit for surgery. You could ask to meet the anaesthetist on that clinic and ask your questions and a good anaesthetist can reassure you and help manage your anxiety. The usual culprit is the fear of unknown and the remedy to that is information which the anaesthetist can provide for you. I hope you find this explanation useful.

I usually perform these procedures under general to ensure the comfort of the patient, but it is possible to perform them with local. I would recommend discussing your options for anesthesia during a consultation with your prospective surgeon. He/she will help determine the best method of anesthesia for you based on your individual needs. Under the care of an experienced board certified anesthesiologist, you will be in good hands. Thank you, and I wish you the best of luck with your surgery!

It is important to have rhinoplasty under general anesthesia because blood drains down the back of the nose, which could go into the lungs causing the patient to cough and aspirate blood and mucus.  It is very important to have a protected airway during the rhinoplasty procedure, which is achieved during general anesthesia.  It would also be extremely uncomfortable to undergo both an endoscopic brow lift and a rhinoplasty under IV sedation since there would be conscious awareness of the instruments tunneling under the forehead as well as breaking the nasal bones during the rhinoplasty.  For patient comfort and safety reasons, it is best to be placed under general anesthesia by a board certified physician anesthesiologist.