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Anesthesia Information

Unlike many other offices, when you chose the Bel-Red Center for Aesthetic Surgery, you have the option of  full spectrum of all levels of anesthesia for your procedures. Together with Dr. Zemplenyi you will decide on the best choice for your individual situation. 

Local anesthesia

Local anesthetic is injected into the surgical area to eliminate all sensation.  The "edge" and anxiety may be lessened by administration of an oral anti-anxiety medication such as Valium. Additional comfort is sometimes provided by topical anesthetic cream and a skin- surface cooling machine.  Dr. Zemplenyi, as an experienced facial plastic & cosmetic surgeon and otolaryngologist, performs selected smaller surgeries under local anesthesia. Examples of such procedures include laser skin resurfacing (SmartSkin TM), removal of moles and other skin lesions including skin cancers, sebacous cysts, lymph nodes biopsies, lipomas (fatty tumors) and limited liposuctions including some Smartlipo Triplex TM surgeries .

Sedation (twilight sleep) anesthesia

Dr. Zemplenyi and the experienced staff of the Bel-Red Ambulatory Surgical Facility have performed several thousand cosmetic plastic procedures safely and comfortably under conscious sedation ("twilight sleep"). Once in the operating room, medications are administered intravenously  to achieve a pleasant level of sedation and sleepiness.  Our patients are very comfortable during the procedures and upon awakening lack recollection of the surgery.  Many of our cosmetic plastic procedures such eyelid surgeries (blepharoplasties, forehead & brow lifts,  facelifts, body liposuctions and some rhinoplasties are performed under sedation anesthesia. Certain breast augmentations may also be performed under sedation anesthesia.

General Anesthesia

Many of our patients elect to undergo general anesthesia for more extensive nasal surgeries (septo-rhinoplasties, nasal valve reconstructions), abdominoplasties ("tummy-tucks") and breast augmentations.  In these cases general anesthesia is administered by our board-certified anesthesiologists..

We carefully choose medications and techniques to minimize post-operative discomfort and nausea.  Prior to surgery our patients receive medication for relaxation, reduction of stomach acid, reduction of post-operative nausea and reduction of swelling. An oral or intravenous antibiotic may also be administered prior to certain procedures.  Our patients usually leave the recovery room about 30 to 60 minutes following completion of the surgical procedure(s) always accompanied by a responsible adult .  A baseline laboratory blood test to rule out anemia is usually obtained prior selected surgical procedures.  We require a baseline electrocardiogram (EKG) in patients older than fifty years of age.  Pre-operative clearance from a primary care provider may be required depending on the patient's age and complexity of the past medical history.