Anaesthesia and cosmetic surgery

Most surgeries performed by Dr Matousek are performed under general anaesthesia and are done in accredited day or overnight private hospital facilities.

It is a myth that twilight sedation is safer and better.  Most larger cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures are done under general anaesthesia, which is more comfortable and safer. Larger body areas cannot be adequately anaesthetised with a combination of local anaesthesia and sedation. Deeper sedation can end up more like an uncontrolled general anaesthetic without a breathing tube to keep you safe.

Your anaesthetist will get in touch with you in advance of the procedure and discuss the specific risks of anaesthesia in more detail. They will also work out the best plan for pain control following surgery for you.

Risks of anaesthesia include nausea and vomiting, allergic reactions to drugs, sore throat, chipped crowns or teeth, nerve injury from prolonged lying on the operating table or issues with the intravenous cannula insertion sites. Australia is one of the safest places to have an anaesthetic with the risk of death estimated at 1 in 100 000. Risk is related to medical co morbidities and is significantly less in young fit individuals. Awake experiences during anaesthetic are also extremely rare with current monitoring techniques.

Dr Matousek works with a select trusted group of anaesthetists that she has been familiar with for several years. They will assess you and determine any significant anaesthetic risks in your case.