Gentler Form of Anesthesia Available from One of the Top Plastic Surgeons in the NYC Area

    NEW YORK, NY, August 07, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Most top plastic surgeons in metro New York City and across the nation rely on general anesthesia for their procedures, whether they're performing breast augmentation, liposuction or eyelid surgery. But patients may often suffer several adverse effects of this type of anesthesia, ranging from feeling groggy for a day or longer after surgery to extreme cases of nausea that might require hospitalization.

In practice in Manhattan for more than 30 years, Dr. Elliot Jacobs (www.plasticsurgeonnewyork.com) and his staff have chosen a different approach. For almost every patient, they rely on "twilight-sleep" anesthesia (technically called conscious sedation), which is administered intravenously (IV). Virtually every major face, breast and body cosmetic operation can be performed under conscious sedation anesthesia on an ambulatory basis. Even lengthy major operations such as breast reductions or tummy tucks can be performed safely - with the patient leaving the office within a few hours after the operation.

"Conventional wisdom holds that general anesthesia, during which a breathing tube is inserted into the lungs, allows the patient to be more deeply asleep and is therefore somehow better than IV sedation," says Dr. Jacobs. "In fact, this is not the case." Patients can be more or less asleep under either method. It's possible for patients to indicate they "feel something" under general anesthesia or twilight sedation as well, though they are not awake at the time in either case.

Why, then, do so many New York City plastic surgery practices choose general anesthesia? In short, IV sedation is more technically demanding. For one thing, it requires expert administration of short and long acting local anesthetics to ensure complete pain control. This places extra demands on the anesthesiologist and plastic surgeon. The surgeon must be very skilled in the injection of local anesthetics and the anesthesiologist must monitor the patient very closely to keep him just gently sedated. The doctors have to work seamlessly as a team to ensure the patient's total comfort during surgery.

This is the manner in which Dr. Jacobs performs plastic surgery in his fully accredited surgical suite on Park Avenue. He and David Calvello MD, who is a board certified anesthesiologist, have been working together side by side for almost 25 years. The two agree that their teamwork is like a well-oiled machine. They always confer and plan with one other prior to each operation and anticipate each other's movements and strategies throughout the entire surgical process. "With conscious sedation, patients wake up quickly and without distress," notes Dr. Calvello. "There is no nausea, vomiting or hangover. They feel more clear and capable after surgery and can go home sooner."

IV sedation has advantages beyond a rapid initial recovery and calm stomach. For procedures that tend to take a longer period of time, the use of IV sedation lessens the risks of adverse events like blood clots. Also, when long acting local anesthetics are used with IV sedation, many patients require fewer oral narcotics for pain control immediately after surgery.

Dr. Calvello advises prospective plastic surgery patients to educate themselves thoroughly about general anesthesia and IV sedation and find out the choices available through plastic surgeons they're considering. While IV sedation may not be right for every procedure or every patient, when it is available it offers many benefits.

Dr. Elliot Jacobs is a board certified New York plastic surgeon with a practice on Park Avenue in Manhattan. He specializes in cosmetic facial plastic surgery, including rhinoplasty, as well as body contouring procedures such as liposuction, male breast reduction, tummy tucks and mommy makeovers for patients in New Jersey, Connecticut and greater New York. Find out more on www.plasticsurgeonnewyork.com.

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