Anesthesia options for abdominoplasty - Hourglass Tummy Tuck

Anesthesia options for abdominoplasty

Abdominoplasty is the medical term we use for the tummy tuck. The procedure is performed on patients with an excess of skin tissue on the abdominal wall and loose abdominal muscles. With aging, multiple pregnancies, or due to considerable weight fluctuations, the appearance of the tummy is affected. The skin loses elasticity and tonus and becomes saggy, the muscles relax, and the tummy might look protruding even for patients who keep an active lifestyle.

The tummy tuck is a procedure commonly performed nowadays all over the United States. While it is a complex and major surgery, it is associated with high satisfaction rates for patients when performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. The procedure should only be performed in an accredited medical facility or hospital with all the safety protocols in place to ensure the patient’s well-being throughout the procedure and after.

When it comes to anesthesia options for abdominoplasty, you should know that in a vast majority of cases, the anesthetist and plastic surgeon will recommend general anesthesia to be used for the comfort of the patient. However, it is also possible to have the procedure performed with the patient under spinal anesthesia with sedation. This might be less comfortable for the patient, but the recommendation for anesthesia will only be given after a thorough medical examination, undergoing certain tests, and a consultation with the anesthetist.

There are patients who fear the consequences of general anesthesia used for the tummy tuck. You should know that with the development of the modern medicine and pharmacology nowadays, we use the safest substances even for anesthesia. Moreover, many of the things you read about general anesthesia are just myths. For example, many patients ask me general anesthesia will really take ten years off their lifetime. This is simply not true, and it has no medical proofs associated with it. General anesthesia is a method of rendering the patient unconscious during the duration of the surgical procedure while also blocking the pain centers and the natural response of the body to this pain. In this way, the plastic surgeon can perform the procedure safely, and the patient has no recollection of the pain and discomfort that occurred when the procedure was performed. When spinal anesthesia is recommended for the patient, sedation through an IV is necessary to make the operation more comfortable for the patient.

Whatever type of anesthesia will be recommended for your particular case, you should discuss the contraindications with the plastic surgeon. Also, make sure to ask about how to prepare for the surgery properly and what medication you are allowed to take so as not to interfere with the anesthesia substances used. The consultation with the anesthetist will take place usually 24-48 hours before the procedure. Make sure to mention any medication that you might be taking and potential allergies that you might be suffering from.







