What is the Maximum Amount of Time You Can Be Safely Under with IV Sedation?

Facelift combined with other procedures can definitely be safely performed
under IV sedation. In our practice, the total length of procedure done under IV
sedation is only slightly longer that general anesthesia. It takes a skilled
and experienced OR team – surgeon, anesthetist and OR staff to achieve this
goal. Most importantly, make sure that not only will you get the anesthesia you
desire, but also the final surgical result as well. Seek out an expert facelift
surgeon, ask to see the before and after photos that depict all of the
procedures that you desire.

The studies have focused on general anesthesia, so this would be difficult to answer. The main issue will be your comfort and your ability to keep your neck turned without becoming stiff and wanting to move. Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of
facelifts, necklifts facelift revisions, and facial procedures each
year. Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo
galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results. Kenneth
Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

I've performed thousands of facial cosmetic surgeries using IV sedation and the safety record of this type of anesthesia is remarkable. I've had hundreds of cases where the same or a similar combination of procedures as yours has been done at one setting. These cases can last 6 to 9 hours and the patients have tolerated IV sedation for this length of time quite easily. There is some increased risk of nausea as the total dose of narcotic increases, but we find that if Ondansetron is given by mouth prior to induction and then used again soon after the IV is started, then once again as we near the end of a long procedure, then the incidence of nausea is minimal.If the level of sedation is monitored closely, patients remain asleep and continuously comfortable no matter how long the procedure. IV sedation is much safer than general anesthesia and much less expensive as well. The patient is able to protect their own airway and immediate reversal of the narcotic and versed can be accomplished with IV naloxone and/or Flumazenil/Romazicon. I personally think it's completely unnecessary and unjustifiably dangerous to stop a person's breathing, put a tube down their throat, paralyze the person and have a machine breathing for the patient when performing any type of facial cosmetic procedure.