Awake plastic surgery procedures represent the next stage in evolution for many commonly undertaken plastic surgery operations. However, like most styles of surgery, these operations are equipped with strengths and weaknesses and are more appropriate or less depending on the type of treatment that you’re looking for. So, should I choose awake plastic surgery? Let’s see the pros and cons.
Should I Choose Awake Surgery? Pros and Cons
If you’re considering undergoing an awake procedure for the type of treatment that you have planned, then take a look at this list that reviews the pros and cons of receiving this treatment in this way.
Awake Surgery Basics
During an awake surgery, a patient is not placed under general anesthesia. This carries with it a number of unexpected benefits.
Some of the commonly experienced benefits of these procedures include faster recovery times, fewer side effects, reduced overall costs, and a higher level of choice experience overall.
The reason that awake procedures have begun to become more common is due to the adverse effects that some patients experience from receiving anesthesia during traditional procedures. Some of the effects are quite severe and often outweigh the benefits of having work done at all.
It turns out that placing a patient under general anesthesia is oftentimes quite unnecessary for the purposes of the surgery at hand. Instead, physicians can just apply a local anesthetic to the surgery site in order to eliminate pain in the area of effect.
Why Avoid General Anesthesia?
General anesthesia can be prohibitive for many patients who would otherwise seek out treatment of some kind. This is due to the massive amounts of stress that it can place on the physical systems.
There are a number of conditions that can make it impossible for a patient to receive general anesthesia at all due to the possible medical complications present. Some of these are quite common and include:
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Epilepsy
- Sleep apnea
- Heart disease
- Lung disease
- Liver disease
- Excessive alcohol use
Even if one isn’t afflicted by one of these sensitive conditions, undergoing general anesthesia can induce a number of unpleasant side effects. Some of these include:
- Dizziness
- Muscle Aches
- Dry mouth
- Sore throat
- Shivering
- Blurred vision
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Awake Surgery Pros
Aside from avoiding many of the conditions mentioned earlier that come along with undergoing general anesthesia, there are several other benefits that come with going this route in terms of your surgery journey.
General anesthesia is one of the costlier elements of a procedure for both the hospital and the patient. By avoiding it, there are numerous opportunities to save on costs if it’s not needed for the purposes of the overall procedure.
In addition, most awake procedures are significantly quicker than their anesthetic counterparts. Significant amounts of time and energy go into preparing a patient for the anesthetic procedure, which in itself can be quite a trial-and-error process.
In the big picture, this combination of saved energy and time can result in a much more casual and effective surgical experience.
Awake Surgery Cons
Awake surgery carries with it some cons as well. Most of them have to do with the psychological elements of being conscious during surgery.
People who suffer phobias of needles and the like are probably not good candidates for awake surgery. There will be a possibility of these phobias being triggered during the procedure.
In addition, those who suffer from major anxiety also likely will not be good candidates for awake procedures, as being awake during surgery is bound to be a major trigger for these types of anxieties.
Picking The Right Physician
If a patient is able to tackle these hurdles, they likely will find that an awake procedure represents a safe, affordable, and quick option for them in terms of their surgery goals.
Part of the process is finding the right physician. When selecting a doctor to perform awake surgery, it’s imperative that you look for a number of qualities. Some of these include:
- Find a doctor who is ABPS-certified
- Find a doctor who has a successful history of surgeries
- Find someone who you feel comfortable with on a basic level
- Find a physician who is considered a specialist in awake procedures
Following this set of guidelines can help you prepare to maximize your awake surgery experience, ensuring safety and convenience.
The Awake Surgery Experts of Southern California
Dr. Brent and the rest of his team live to serve the residents of Southern California with the best plastic surgery service available. If you’re interested in seeing whether or not you could benefit from an awake procedure, contact Dr. Brent today in order to set up an appointment.
