Dr Rowan Molnar: Rhinoplasty and suitable anaesthesia options

Posted by Molnar on September 3rd, 2015

Rhinoplasty is now a popular form of plastic surgery that is performed under various depths of anaesthesia. This includes local or general anaesthesia, and intravenous sedation. According to Dr. Rowan Molnar, staff specialist anaesthetist at Launceston General Hospital, Tasmania, Australia and an industry liaison for various organisations for over 23 years, there are several pros and cons of each technique in terms of cost, side effects, feasibility, safety, and awareness.

IV sedation

Pre-operative tests are essential in order to determine the right type of anaesthetic. However, any type of rhinoplasty anaesthesia is performed in combination with a local anaesthesia to induce numbness of the nose and reduce bleeding. In some cases, surgeons opt only for local anaesthesia to eliminate anxiety and discomfort. According to Dr. Rowan Molnar, intravenous sedation is the most challenging since patients must be rendered unconscious and motionless without affecting breathing, and be given just the right does so that there is no risk of sudden movements that could disrupt the operation.

General anaesthesia

General anaesthesia is often a preferred method in rhinoplasty since it is comparatively a non-invasive surgery that requires just enough anaesthetic to render a patient fully unconscious. Most importantly, the airway is protected by a breathing tube to eliminate the risk of aspiration while the side effects are short term and mild. In addition, the depth of anaesthesia can be adjusted since respiration is maintained by a ventilator. One of the drawbacks is post operative nausea and vomiting that can increase blood pressure and cause heavier facial bruising and discomfort, which could affect the cosmetic outcome. No matter what procedure is used, it is essential to have any nasal surgery performed under anaesthesia by an experienced anaesthesiologist.

Written by a professional author who describes the detail of Dr Rowan Molnar.