Either method is reasonable. Local anesthesia is less costly and can be done without any discomfort while watching a movie. However for children or very anxious adult patients light general anesthesia is appropriate.
Thank you for submitting your question. Otoplasty can be performed with local anesthesia, moderate sedation, or a general anesthesia. It is extremely well-tolerated under local anesthesia alone, so we perform most otoplasties in our practice this way. We often provide a small amount of oral sedation to make the patient more comfortable. We then proceed with injection of a nerve block and local anesthetic. The patient feels no pain during the procedure. Most patients prefer local anesthesia however we take into consideration the patient's comfort and anxiety level and we are open to providing whatever level anesthesia is necessary and/or desired.