Can breast implant removal be done with local anesthesia?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 35 years old. I am having breast implant explantation surgery in four days. I have bad anxiety, and the thought of anesthesia really scares me. I am a mother, and the thought of being over sedated or not waking up at all is frightening.

My surgeon has agreed to use local and MAC anesthesia because I did not want general anesthesia. Can they give me just light sedation so I am not totally out? If my surgeon had agreed to just do local with a pain pill, I would have been on board. Unfortunately, he did not go for that. I do trust my surgeon; he placed my implants almost ten years ago, and now the left implant is deflated (I have saline implants).

I am also worried as when they asked if I smoked, I was only thinking of cigarettes and said no. Then I called and told them I do smoke Marijuana daily. They told me to stop five days before. But I am worried now, since reading online, that some prefer two weeks clean. Will this cause me to be at an even greater risk now?

Also, I have a minor cold and cough, no fever, but coughing some sputum up. Nothing major and stopping smoking weed could be a contributing factor now. I do not smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol. I have a history of congenital cervical spinal fusion (two discs), TMJ, and anxiety, panic attacks. I exercise regularly, and I am on no other prescribed medication besides Xanax 0.5 mg at bedtime, which I only actually take a half tablet of when needed, and that does the trick for me.

I take an Emergen-C immune plus vitamin pack daily, and a Stress-B complex daily (which they have not told me to stop). I am an RN and have been trying to rationalize and reassure myself that it is a common procedure and will be fine. My mind frame is so different than it was ten years ago when I easily trusted surgery, and after augmentation, it was fine. I am praying daily that I will just be fine, and I am overthinking everything too much. Any insight and thoughts would be wonderful. Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

It seems you are worrying a lot about small things. About the anesthesia, you need to understand the reason behind why we give GA (general anesthesia) and not local in such surgeries.

The doctor is going to open the breast tissue, insert the implant, and then close it carefully so as not to get a visible scar on the breast. If the patient moves the body by mistake, then there can be a wrong cut made on the skin or elsewhere, which will spoil the purpose of beautification. To stop the movement, we give GA. If you can control your body movement, then LA (local anesthesia) might be an option. He cannot do this on a tablet for the same reason, you will move on pain, and he will make mistakes. And there are no side effects for any sedation, and everything gets back to normal in one day.

Stopping marijuana for five days is fine. It does not cause any effects on the breast augmentation process. As long as there is no fever, there should be no problem with the cough. I think you are all fit to go in for the surgery, and I am sure you will come out of it with enhanced elegance.

Just feel relaxed and do not worry about smaller issues at all.

Let me know if you have any other worries and we will sort it out for your confidence booster.

Thank you.