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  • Anethesia During Rhinoplasty
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What kind of anesthesia is used during rhinoplasty? Well, of course, and most of my answers are, "It depends." It depends upon what is being done, but let's talk about a range of what is performed, a range of types of anesthesia that you can have. On one extreme is general anesthesia, where a patient has a tube that's placed through the mouth and into the windpipe. And that's actually very safe. Some people think that's more invasive, and it somewhat is. It's more than the other extreme, if you will. But it's actually very safe because when you're lying down, any collections, any fluids, or blood that's draining from the nose goes to the back of the throat and could be inhaled as you're undergoing the procedure. So, a tube that goes through the mouth and actually goes through the windpipe is very safe. It prevents any fluids from getting into the windpipe.

From there, you have something called LMA, laryngeal masked anesthesia. That also has a tube that goes in the mouth, but it doesn't go through the windpipe, it sits on top of it. And just like an endotracheal tube - the first one I talked about - it prevents fluids from going into the windpipe.

After that you have, or before that if you will, you have something called intravenous sedation. For those of you who've had a colonoscopy or perhaps even dental work, a molar being removed, you'll have an IV placed. You'll have an IV placed in all scenarios, but you'll have an IV placed, liquid will go in which will make you a little tired or a little sleepy. You'll not remember the procedure at all, and a rhinoplasty can be done under those situations.

And then, of course, the most non-invasive is simply putting some medication on the inside of your nose to numb the nose, typically with a very few injections as well to completely numb the area, so you don't feel anything. And then, a small rhinoplasty can be had during those anesthetic situations. I have a microrhinoplasty, there's a video on microrhinoplasty, where a patient had just a small little bump that's what bothered her. And she simply required some numbing medicine with a Q-tip inside the nose, and she was fully awake and didn't feel a thing. And I have an instrument which just brings that little spicule of bone down and made it smooth.

So, which one should you have? Speak to your surgeon, speak to the anesthesiologist who is doing the procedure, and find out what you feel most comfortable and what is the safest for you.

Anethesia During Rhinoplasty

What type of anethesia is used during a rhinoplasty procedure? Dr. Philip Miller explains that it really depends upon the type of procedure, the anesthesiologist's preference for you, and what you are most comfortable with.