The use of general anesthesia presents the greatest risk in any surgery, including liposuction. In 
response, the concept of “awake” liposuction is gaining traction among both surgeons and patients. Awake liposuction is performed using a local anesthetic and sedative, helping to reduce the patient risks associated with full anesthesia while still safeguarding patient comfort.
Potential Complications in Anesthesia
Despite the inarguably valuable contributions that the use of general anesthesia has brought to modern medicine, there are also many definitive risks and potential complications involved:
- Procedure time is increased when general anesthesia is used, and initial recovery may be sluggish or delayed.
- The use of general anesthesia may necessitate an overnight hospital stay for observation; this charge in addition to the anesthesiologist fee can increase total surgical cost for the patient.
- Reduced blood pressure and increased heart rate must be closely monitored throughout the procedure by a board certified anesthesiologist.
- Physiological response to general anesthesia may make this option untenable for patients with existing heart- or lung-related health conditions, or for those who simply respond poorly to anesthesia.
- Side effects of anesthesia include nausea or vomiting, drowsiness and continued strain on the heart and lungs until fully eliminated from the body.
All of these risks are mitigated through the use of awake liposuction instead. A local anesthetic ensures that patients remain physically comfortable throughout the procedure, and a sedative (either oral or intravenous) helps patients remain calm.
With awake lipo, the surgery itself can be performed in a shorter amount of time, and patients feel more comfortable after recovery without the nausea and fatigue that are so commonly associated with general anesthesia. Most importantly, the more serious risks that can occur while under full anesthesia are greatly diminished for a safer surgery overall.