TUMESCENT ANESTHESIA IN SANTA BARBARA – PLASTIC SURGERY UNDER LOCAL ANESTHESIA
Tumescent anesthesia is a plastic surgery technique for the purposes of delivering local anesthesia. The process involves the injection of a diluted lidocaine local anesthetic and saline solution into the desired location. The lidocaine helps numb the area throughout the entire surgical procedure, before and after. The saline solution helps facilitate the surgery by increasing the skin turgor and lessening any bleeding. This can aid a variety of procedures by making the desired tissue firm and aiding the local anesthesia. The practice originated for liposuction, and has since been applied to other surgical procedures including short scar facelift and neck lift. It is a safe and effective approach to achieve localized anesthesia of skin and subcutaneous tissue with a level lidocaine which is below the risk of toxicity. By using a larger volume of fluid, otherwise known as tumescence, usually painful surgical procedures can be performed without subjecting the patient to the inherent risks associated with general anesthesia. Tumescent anesthesia can also be used in parallel with oral sedation to lessen patient anxiety and improve patient comfort.
Benefits of the Tumescent Anesthesia
- Reduction in the amount of pain, bruising and swelling after surgery
- Avoided risks, cost and side effects of general anesthesia
- Reduction in blood loss throughout the procedure
- Lower incidence of post-operative nausea
- Faster recovery time
